The Soul of a Warrior
by Tellemicus Sundance
Summary: Continuation of The Weak Link. The gang has rested and healed since the tragic fight. Now, Ulrich finally tells his story.
1. Polite Courtesy

**I'M BAAACCKKK!**

You all can thank yourselves have this story. Thanks to the sheer numbers of you who still had some questions that I didn't answer or those who wanted a sequel, I present to you this story.

The shocking tale behind Ulrich's disappearance will finally be told.

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 1--Polite Courtesy_

The rays of the sun creeping over the horizon shone brightly. The sky was a magnificent shade of blue with no clouds as far as the naked eye could see. It was blinding to the five sets of eyes that were accustomed to the darkness of night.

They sat in a patch of ferns in the park this Saturday morning. A blonde-purple haired boy was lying on his side, absentmindedly chewing on a candy bar. Yumi leaned against Odd's legs, her attention on Ulrich. Jeremy and Aelita sat next to one another, holding hands. Ulrich sat with his face to the rising sun.

"So," Odd said. "Do you want to start explaining? Or should I?"

Yumi, no mattered how she loved Ulrich, sheeted at him telling Odd before he told her. It just didn't seem fair to her after all they'd been through together. _But what's done is done_, she growled to herself.

Closing his eyes and looking at the ground, Ulrich swallowed. He hated talking about himself, even with his friends. That and the story that they wanted was so very … personal and yet farfetched that he doubted they'd believe him.

"Go ahead, Odd," he said. Memories flooded through his mind unwillingly as his friend started the tale

July 1 

Even though the school year had ended two months ago, the gymnasium doors were wide open. The busy activity in the gymnasium was because of it being almost overcrowded. The students worked with a suppressed zeal at what they were making. Tonight was a special summer dance, courtesy of Principal Delmas.

It was no secret that this dance was his gift to his daughter, Sissi.

The gymnasium was littered with blue and white balloons. Strips of blue and white confetti paper were being draped over anything that was fastened down. In the center of the gym the tall, dark-haired girl who the students had to thank for this special occasion was supervising the setup of a fountain.

"Don't worry, Sissi," Herb said. "Everything's going to be perfect."

Snorting, she glared at him. "Who asked you?"

Before he could answer, Sissi turned her back to him and walked away. Though he knew that he should've been used to this from her, it hurt Herb at how cold she could be to him. Deep down in his heart, he wanted to ask her to the dance. But his considerable intelligence informed him that she'd not only turn him down but also _kick_ him when he was down. Hanging his head, Herb returned to setting up the decorations.

Yumi was in her room but it was barely recognizable. This was due to the mountains of clothing that she'd thrown about it in an attempt to find something to wear tonight. Like the students in the gymnasium, she was filled in a barely suppressed energy.

Pausing in her frantic search, she sat down on her bed. In her mind played scenes of how she hoped that the actual dance would turn out. She pictured herself dancing along with Jeremy and Aelita, whom she knew her blonde friend was currently teaching to dance, and with Odd and Ulrich. _Especially with Ulrich_.

She watched as Ulrich walked up to her and asked her to dance when a slow song came on. Then she watched as he slid his hand around her waist and took her hand. She imagined how his fingers would feel if they were laced between hers.

Smiling sheepishly, Yumi felt a fierce blush burning her face. If the morning sunlight hadn't shining into her room, her embarrassed gaze at her room would've had the same effect. Then she realized that she still didn't have anything worth wearing to the dance.

Jeremy and Aelita stood up in the large chamber of the factory. There was a small stereo nearby playing a love song. Taking her slowly through the steps of dancing, Jeremy couldn't hide the blush that was lighting up his face as well.

Aelita was a very fast learner and he quickly found himself just dancing with her for the sheer joy of having her in his arms. She clung as closely to him as she could, enjoying the sensations of touch and smell. Dancing came to her almost as naturally as scanning a computer code for errors.

The rising sun was casting bright reflections throughout the factory through its broken and remaining windows. But what was blossoming inside it was far brighter than anything in the natural world.

Odd was singing in the bathroom. A stereo was playing loudly over the spraying water that dampening his body. Scrubbing his hair vigorously, he attempted to eradicate any dirt or grit that may have settled into it. A loud pounding on the door brought him back to reality.

"Yeah?" he called over the song. "What do you want?"

"Are you gonna get out of there anytime soon?" Ulrich's voice called in loudly. "You'll miss the dance at this rate!"

"Hold on, speedy," Odd shot back with a grin. "I'm washing my hair."

"Again?" Ulrich couldn't believe this. "That'll be what? The fourth time in less than an hour? LET ME IN!"

Smirking, Odd cried out. "You can't expect someone as gorgeous as me to rush things, can you? I'll get out when I'm good and ready!"

"I hate you," Ulrich growled as he left the door.

Sighing, he sat back down on his bed. His eyes wondered the room aimlessly until they came to rest to on his cell phone.

Should he call her? Should he ask her? He wanted to, he _really_ did want to. But he was scared that _she_ might not want to. That was probably the only thing that was holding him back, fear of rejection. Only days later would he realize how different his life would be if he'd have mustered the courage to call.

But, instead, he decided to go shopping. The day was still quite young after all. Maybe he should get her a gift? _Just to be a friend_, he thought. _When was the last time I did that for her?_

He first the small boy walking down the street toward an old diner. The boy was dressed in a strange outfit that was clearly ancient Japanese. His clothes had an intriguing homemade look to them, worn with small rips and tears throughout its length. The boy's hair was dark, long, and pulled into a bun at the back of his head. The boy seemed no older than six or seven.

But what caught Ulrich's attention was that he seemed to be tormented by a pair of teenagers easily in their middle teens. The young boy was walking forward, ignoring the obnoxious teens when one of them decided that taunting him was getting boring. In one swift act, he sent the boy to the ground.

Something seemed to snap in Ulrich. This boy may have dressed funny sure, but _no one_ deserved that treatment.

Walking forward boldly, he called out, "Leave him alone!"

The teens turned at the sound of voice. It was only another little kid, nothing for them to worry about.

"What do you want, kid?"

"Leave that boy alone," Ulrich said, his fear not quite reaching his voice. He was careful to watch both the boys. A sinking feeling told him that they wanted trouble. "He hasn't done anything to you, has he?"

"Get lost, kid!" barked the other teen. "This brat needs a fashion upgrade. We were just giving him some pointers."

Roughly yanking the small boy before him to his feet, the teen threw him forward. The boy stumbled slightly but remained on his feet. His light blue eyes flickered with anger as he stared at Ulrich.

"If I were you," Ulrich said. "I'd leave him alone before his family shows up."

Reaching slowly into the shirt portion of his clothing, the boy grasped something. Closing his eyes, the boy took a deep breath. A strange calmness seemed to wash over the boy. Ulrich couldn't help but watch as a series of events happened at incredible speeds.

The boy who had been beating on the kid drew back his leg for another kick. But as his leg was passing through the air, the kid suddenly dodged to the side and whipped his arm out. The teenager stood frozen, a cold blade of steel pressed threateningly against his throat. No one moved for a moment.

"Hey kid," Ulrich said, approaching him slowly. "Put it down."

The kid's gaze never left the boy. The sharp dagger pressed slightly harder into the bully's neck. The bully's eyes bulged considerably and his jaw was trembling in fear. He had never felt such fear in himself for a long time.

"Kid," Ulrich said with a slightly louder voice. "Put it down! He's not worth it."

Slowly the kid looked toward Ulrich. Then he spoke in a strange language. Though he couldn't understand the kid's words, he did catch his tone. He was mad and he wanted to take it out on the person who caused it. But as the boy continued to speak, his tone took on a quieter and indifferent quality.

Removing the dagger from the teenager's throat, the kid turned his back and walked away as though nothing had happened. The bullies wasted little time putting as much distance between them and the knife-wielding kid that had been their prey.

Ulrich followed and quickly caught up to the kid. Grasping his shoulder, he turned him to face him. The boy's face was empty except for a little confusion.

"Why did you do that?" he asked. "You could've killed that guy. Didn't your parents ever teach you not to carry weapons around?"

The kid just smiled as he listened incoherently to Ulrich's lecture. Seeing that he wasn't getting through to the kid, Ulrich shook his head. Turning, his waved farewell to the kid and started to walk away.

He didn't get very far however. As he rounded a corner, he failed to see a staff swinging down toward his head. He dropped unconscious with a single blow to the back of his head.

* * *

(A/N) Just so you all know: I have NO idea how often I'll be able to post. See, I'm working in my spare time which is extremely limited right now. 


	2. One Awful Truth

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 2--One Awful Truth _

It wasn't the pain in his head that woke him, though it was considerable. No, it was the cold air that was around him. Despite his body's best attempts, the cold seeped into him as though he were a sponge.

A cold, wooden floor lay underneath his chest. Try as he may, he couldn't open his eyes. Then he felt a tension of cloth wrapped tightly around his face and over his eyes. He tried to move his arms to remove the cloth, but a sudden sharp spasm of pain raced throughout his body.

It hurt too much to move. Even as he fought against the pain, a wave of nausea washed over him. Replacing his face back down on the floor, he now fought to control his convulsive stomach. A groan escaped his frail form and he felt himself turning pale.

The sound of approaching feet somewhere near him alerted him to another's presence. Then, it stopped, somewhere very close to him. And with a single, swift stroke, the cloth was removed.

The sight of a pair of bare feet in wooden sandals filled his limited vision. A small hand reached down and turned his face slightly upward. Seeing a small goblet of water in the other hand, Ulrich became very aware of how thirsty he was, despite his nauseous stomach. Letting the person bring the miracle liquid to his lips, he drank it greedily.

With the return of water into his body, Ulrich felt a small margin of strength return as well. Enough strength to move his arms under his chest and prop himself up on his elbows. Lifting his head carefully, he felt the outer edges of pain as the back of his skull began to hurt again.

Seeing the lower portion of a dark robed figure holding the goblet of water, Ulrich tried to reach forward it. That little swallow was nowhere near enough to quench his thirst. The figure gave him one more small drink and pulled away again.

Struggling to his knees, he tried to grasp the goblet. But the person had turned and walked toward the wall. Forcing himself up on to unsteady legs, Ulrich wobbled toward the person.

Turning around to face him, Ulrich almost gasped in surprise. It was a young girl, clearly almost his age, if not older. She was dressed in a peculiar dark robe that was clearly too large for her. But the curtains of cloth couldn't hide her beauty. She seemed to have a small but highly toned body. Tied tightly around her waist was a brown sash with a katana thrust through it.

Her face was devoid of freckles and any expression. Her bright golden-brown eyes shined, even in the poor lighting of the room. Her dark hair was very long and pulled back into a pair of ponytails; quite unlike Yumi's—

"Yumi!" Ulrich cried.

Forgetting the tenderness of his head, he jerked it around, trying to look for a door. The moment he turned his head, the pain erupted full force. But his inertia was enough to keep it going and he heard an extremely audible crack at the base of his skull.

All at once, his sight went black and he was falling again. As a vivid image of a furious and saddened Yumi looking at him filled his mind, he fell unconscious and to the ground.

_This_ time it was the pain that awakened him. He couldn't help but to groan, in a feeble hope that it would ease it away. It didn't.

Opening his eyes, he looked blankly around the darkened room. He was alone now and all was quiet except for the occasional creaking of the floorboards under his weight. He lay on the floor again, probably where he landed. Rolling from his position on his back to his stomach, Ulrich once again tried to climb to his feet.

Looking carefully around the room, he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He was in a room clearly made from split logs and there were stray strands of hay and grass stuck out at odd angles from t he walls. The wooden floor was highly polished and extremely worn at the same time. There were no visible outlines of furniture in the room. Only a mass of thick, wool blankets that were neatly folded in one corner of the room disturbed the floor's spotless gleam.

Hoisting himself into a sitting position, Ulrich slowly tested his neck and head. It still hurt, but not the blinding pain he'd experienced from earlier. It was more of a dull throb than anything else, a _gentle_ reminder.

Turning his body rather than his head, Ulrich looked around the room for an exit. It was behind him. A pair of sliding doors greeted his eyes. They were so thin that he could see the silhouette of a man standing to the side.

Keeping his eyes on the door, Ulrich sat gently back down. Thinking back he tried to understand where he was and why he was here. He clearly remembered walking toward the mall. Then the image of the small boy being harassed because of his clothing came to his mind.

He remembered walking away after he helped tell the bullies to leave the boy alone. Then, as he turned a corner, his mind went blank as he felt a sudden, sharp pain erupt from the back of his head. Slowly, difficultly, he remembered waking up earlier and seeing a girl in clothing similar to the boy's he'd helped.

Anger rushed through him as a realization dawned on him. They had kidnapped him! He was probably unconscious for almost a day, total. No doubt his friends would be worried sick. Yumi was probably worried or, he hoped not, furious at him for not showing up at the dance.

He had to escape!

Climbing to his feet, he kept as silently toward the door as he could. Reaching it, he slid the door open just barely a hair's breath. Standing there next to the side was a nearly bald man who wore the robes of the boy and girl. Before sliding the door close, he noted the katana hilt that was protruding from the man's waist. Taking several quiet breaths in an attempt to slow his fast racing heart, he tried to fight down his own fear at what he was about to do.

Then, in one swift motion, he yanked the door open entirely. Swinging his fist around, he buried it into the man's gut with as much force as he could muster. Apparently it was far more than enough, the man bent over on Ulrich's fist instantly, gasping for air.

Not losing a moment's time, Ulrich withdrew and kicked out. His knee connected to the man's face and sent him back into the wall he'd been standing next to. Hitting his head on the wall with enough force to knock a horse unconscious, he slumped quietly down to the floor.

Ulrich quickly pulled the man into the room before someone arrived and saw what was happening. Inside the room, he stripped the man of his robe and sword. Dressing quickly, Ulrich quickly left the room in his disguise.

Hurrying down the wooden hallway and pass several other doorways similar to his own, he saw a doorway open to the outside. As he reached the doorway, Ulrich almost screamed in surprise and frustration at what he saw.

The building he had been in was located in the center of a small village of similar buildings. The moonlight shone down like a false dawn, illuminating the small stream that flowed down the center down. The sun was slowly crawling over the horizon of mountains and incredibly high ridges and cliffs for as far as the eye could see. He was definitely not in his hometown anymore.

The entire village was awakened from his furious scream of outrage.


	3. It Begins

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 3--It Begins… _

He stood in the center of the village's square. In front of him were a line of twenty or so old men who were watching him with the kind of scrutiny a scientist would at a slide of cells under a microscope.

Ulrich was once again dressed in his own clothing. His clothes were starting to smell like bad body odor because of the surprising humidity he was in. He found himself sweating while he just stood there. His body just wasn't use to the humidity here. The morning sun also burned light streaks into his eyes as he tried to look at the old men.

The men were dressed in the same outfits as everyone else he'd seen in the small village: a too-large robe pulled tightly around the waist by a sash and wooden sandals on their feet. The men's hair was long and pulled into braided ponytails behind their heads. Ulrich didn't need to be told that these men were the leaders of the village, they had smug air of self-confidence that all who held political power share.

Standing in front of the Ulrich and the men was the girl Ulrich had seen from the previous night. Facing Ulrich with a stoic expression, she opened her mouth and spoke in a thick Japanese accent.

"What is your name?"

Ulrich could only stare back. He particularly didn't want to tell them anything about himself. _But then again, I _never_ do_, he thought bitterly as a string of memories rushed through his mind.

They waited patiently for Ulrich to answer. But when they realized that he wouldn't, one of the men at the end of the line rose. Speaking sharply at Ulrich, he moved forward. The girl bowed to the man as he passed. The very tone of the man's voice told him that he'd probably insulted him by not answering. But Ulrich didn't care.

Standing in front of him, the man, even as old and hunched over as he was, towered over him. Ulrich stared dully up at the man. He just wanted to go home, and he knew somehow that they wouldn't let him go.

Glaring at Ulrich's disrespect, the man made to turn away. Then, with surprising speed for a man of his advanced years, he turned back with an unsheathed dagger pressing threateningly against Ulrich's throat.

The cold touch of steel on his neck brought only a flash of fear through him. Though he didn't show it, Ulrich was scared for his life.

After a moment's time, a loud and insistent command was barked from one of the other men. Pulling away from the insolent boy, the man sheathed his dagger and stalked back to his former position.

Talking quietly to the girl, a gray haired man watched Ulrich carefully. Turning back to Ulrich after she bowed her respects, the girl said, "My master Riyo wishes to know why you choose not to answer."

"I don't talk to strangers," Ulrich growled quietly. "_or_ kidnappers."

The girl relayed Ulrich's statement to the men. There was the barest of smiles on most of their faces as they listened. Riyo smiled openly and rose. Walking forward, the man stopped in front of him.

"You have not been kidnapped," he said with a surprisingly clear voice. "You have been chosen to be instructed in the ways of our ancestors… This is the greatest honor. Why do you choose not to honor us with your name?"

Ulrich looked angrily into the man's gray eyes. He hated these men and everything about them. "I have no interest to be taught," he said. "Only taken home."

"You shall be returned home," the man said easily. "But only after you have finished your training… That is our law."

Ulrich looked up at him with an emotionless external. However, inside, he felt his world caving in quickly. He was trapped in the mountains with these strange people who claimed to want to train him in some form of martial arts. He had probably been missing for several days and his friends were probably either worried or, he feared, mad at him.

Tears tried to come out but he held them in. He would not cry in front of these people—not now, not until he was home. He tried to unobtrusively blink them away. Ulrich had always tried to train himself to be strong. Only now did he realize how horribly he'd failed at trying to control his emotions.

He had to show these people that he wasn't afraid. He had to.

The man watched him with an expert eye. This boy was an anomaly, a variation of the normal boys of his age. Where another boy would probably have tried to run or started crying at this moment, this boy stood his ground and looked blankly up at him.

"What is your name?" Riyo asked again.

He waited for a few moments. Behind him, the other elders of the village talked quietly amongst themselves. Riyo, as the village leader, was the only one who could choose the fate of this strange, yet insolent boy.

"I know you wish not to tell us anything of yourself," Riyo said with a tiny smile. "Neither would I in your position. But here, among my people, it is considered very rude to not introduce yourself… Your name is the least I'm asking you to tell us."

Looking up at Riyo, Ulrich matched his stare for a moment. Then, looking away, he said, "Ulrich Stern."

"We are honored to meet you, Ulrich Stern," Riyo said, bowing slightly. With a quiet command, Riyo summoned the girl to him. Facing Ulrich, he said, "This is my granddaughter, Taki. She will be your guide and translator during the extension of your stay."

The sun was at its zenith in the mountains and the village was starting to warm up from the cool of the night. Ulrich stood on a high rock ledge overlooking the entire village. It had no more than fifty homes, a large and elegantly made temple of some kind, and a five-story tall tower with an iron bell at the top. It had peacefulness about it that Ulrich had never known existed.

Taki stood beside him. Though she had seen this sight many times in her life, the look on Ulrich's astonished face was enough to bring a small smile to her face. Then, wiping the smile away, she tapped his shoulder and walked away.

Following, Ulrich had only enough time to wonder where she was taking him before they entered a thin tree line. Faintly, the sounds of steel clashing on steel and wood breaking could be heard but grew in volume the closer they approached.

Stopping at the edge of the tree line, the pair waited just long enough for Ulrich to scan the new area. They stood at the edge of field in the center of the woods. The grasses were all trampled to the ground and there was little to no wind.

Spaced evenly throughout the field were nearly two-dozen warriors. Many of them were either teenagers or adults. They all sparred one another with various weapons or just their fists. Of the younger kids that were there, they were being instructed in swordsmanship with wooden swords.

Walking slightly in front of Ulrich, Taki walked down the center of the field. Not wanting to attract any attention to himself, he kept as close to her as he felt comfortable. Stopping next to a small circle of kids that were younger then them, Taki held up her hand to him.

She approached the young man in the center who was busy parrying a young boy's vicious swings. Standing to the side of the duelists, Taki said, "_I brought you your newest pupil, Tadashi_."

Looking at his younger sister, Tadashi made a good show of blocking and parrying without evidently paying attention. "_Really? Who do I have to pummel now?_"

He caught sight of Ulrich before Taki could respond. Turning back to his partner, Tadashi sidestepped a jab and knocked the wooden sword from the boy's hand. Holding his sword under the boy's chin, he grinned slightly. Pulling away from each other, they bowed.

"_You've gotten better, Nozomi_," he said. "_Keep up the good work_."

Picking up the discarded sword, Taki walked back to Ulrich. Eyeing the wooden weapon with distaste, he glanced at her with a sinking feeling in his gut. "What is that for?"

"My brother, Tadashi," Taki said indicating the seventeen-year-old standing impatiently behind her. "wants to fight you. He has to know how experienced you are in swordsmanship."

Shifting his gaze to the young man, he watched as the teen smirked confidently. Looking back at Taki, he had almost a pleading look in his eye. He really didn't want to do this. But seeing that she wasn't going to help him, he grasped the sword and walked toward Tadashi.

Holding his sword ready, Ulrich watched Tadashi carefully. If he had to, Ulrich would show him how skilled he was. As he studied his opponent, everything else around him suddenly went strangely quiet; his surroundings grew hazy and distorted.

Tadashi meanwhile was studying his form. He had a good posture and it appeared as though he had some experience with a sword before. The boy's careful gaze at his own posture also gave off the notion that he was hoping Tadashi would make the first move.

He obliged him.

Swinging his sword in a fast arc toward the boy's knee, Tadashi was almost surprised to find his attack blocked. Bringing his sword back to him quickly, he stepped back slightly to avoid the boy's slash to his wrists. Then, with the flick of his wrist, Tadashi disarmed the boy.

The sword bounced off the ground a few feet away. Ulrich looked at it in surprise, there back at Tadashi who wore a smug grin on his face. Quickly recovering the weapon, Ulrich dropped into his stance again and waited.

As Tadashi was about to attack, Ulrich did. The fast slash at Tadashi's chest was blocked. Sliding his sword down through the gap in Ulrich's defense, his weapon jabbed him roughly in the chest. Recovering fast, Ulrich attacked in a fast series of thrusts and slashes. He wouldn't give this boy the pleasure of beating him so easily. However, each one of his attacks was blocked with ease.

Despite his annoyance at the boy's determination, he had to admire his apparent skill. The boy, though he couldn't see it, was actually making _him_ sweat slightly. That alone was rarely for him fighting a boy of this age.

Then, Ulrich made a vital mistake. Swinging too hard, his thrust overextended his reach. Dodging around the shaft, Tadashi brought his sword down on Ulrich's wrists, knocking the sword from his hands yet again. Then, before Ulrich could move, Tadashi slammed his elbow into his face.

Grasping his face, Ulrich dropped ungracefully to the ground. His growls of pain were so mixed with his labored breathing that no one could tell which hurt him more. Backing away from his downed opponent, Tadashi turned and started to walk away.

Taki stood in front of him, glaring. "_You didn't have to do that_," she growled.

"_What do you care_?" he asked good-naturedly. With male intuition and wisdom from his years of dealing with females Tadashi could see something that Taki was trying to hide. He could tell from her expression that she was mad because she seemed to be attracted to this boy.

Taki glared at him for a moment longer before hurrying to Ulrich's side. Tadashi started whistling proudly as he walked away. However, as he left he saw his grandfather Riyo watching, he had seen everything that had transpired.

He saw everything: from Ulrich's stubborn refusal of losing to Tadashi having difficulty. Riyo watched with a stoic face as his granddaughter tended to Ulrich's injuries. He had been in doubt of the boy's abilities when he spoke to him. But now he could understand why Maki and his son, Nozomi, believed that he had potential. The boy's skill with the katana may not have been very impressive, but it was considerably greater than any other child his age certainly.

This boy, this Ulrich Stern, had potential, a lot of potential. Riyo knew that he had to bring it out; this boy could be a great warrior one day.

**(A/N)**At long last, I have posted again. I hope you love this chapter. This chapter shows the extent of Ulrich's skills when he was still normal. Quite a drastic improvement from what you've seen in The Weak Link.

On a side note, this story is going to be much shorter than The Weak Link.

So, you have now been introduced to Ulrich's new surroundings. The major people that will influence his growth as a warrior you have just met: Tadashi, his sparring partner; Riyo, the village leader and Ulrich's master; and Taki, Ulrich's guide and translator. While story will be shorter, I hope to introduce a few conflicts that I'm sure many of you can relate to or have an opinion on.

For those of you who are confused, this story is mostly a flashback. It takes place _after_ The Weak Link (read the first few paragraphs) but we're seeing it from both Ulrich's memories and how it really happened.

Nikana Olos, I would love it if you came to my house to yell at me. Though it wouldn't do much good; I'd be too busy enjoying it to hear what you had to say. :D

I leave you now with just one request: review, _review, REVIEW_! And one more thing… **REVIEW**!

Sayonara!


	4. Discovery

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 4--Discovery_

He was walking down a familiar street. In front of him was a familiar building, Kadic. He could see them standing there, all smiling and waving to him as he approached. Everyone was there and he smiled at them all; even Sissi. If he wasn't so happy to be back, he would've been surprised at how much he missed her whining voice.

Stopping in front of them, he looked at the raven-haired girl standing before him. She wasn't smiling or waving, just standing there and staring. Reaching for her face, Ulrich tried to caress her cheek, to feel her body warmth and know that she was actually there. But as his hand approached, her face blurred.

Everything began darkening around him as a bell sounded from what seemed a great distance. Though he tried to get back to his friends, the darkness consumed him. Then he felt himself lying on his back on a wooden floor.

Snapping his eyes open, Ulrich sat bolt upright. He quickly looked around for Kadic and everyone. But he found himself in his room again in the mountain village. _Just a dream_.

Standing, he felt an all-too-familiar ache of his muscles. His legs, arms, chest, and back all screamed in protest from the previous days' workouts. Dully, he remembered the strenuous regime that Master Riyo had forced upon him from the first day he arrived. Ulrich had trouble keeping track of the days because his life fell into a routine with his new home. Yet he knew that he had been here for easily a month and a half.

Walking to a bundle of discarded clothes in the corner, he halfheartedly dressed. Ulrich was grateful that the villagers, whom he'd come to know quite well now, had provided him with spare clothing. His old clothes were torn, filthy, and had an extremely putrid odor.

Pacing to the door of the house, he looked out over the small town. The village was slowly stirring in the waxing hours of the day. Chimney smoke began rising from multiple homes, mothers wrestled their children out of their beds, the men rose silently and dressed in preparation of the morning's warm-up exercises.

Slipping into a pair of wooden sandals, Ulrich began stretching his arms over his head as he walked toward the training field. Around him the other men and boys were also approaching, some carrying stacks of weaponry while others partly dragged their protesting children.

Taking a wooden katana, he hurried to his familiar place on the field and waited for the rest to join. They formed into a checkerboard pattern on the field with three paces distance between each person.

The morning exercises were conducted before breakfast and before the sun even peeked over the mountaintops. It was a routine that Ulrich had been forced into and adjusted to quite well. The warm-ups usually lasted for an hour, short but it woke a person up fast.

Breakfast was a simple meal of rice, vegetables, eggs, and a goblet of water. Quite plain but the food felt wonderful to Ulrich as he felt it slide down his throat. It was rejuvenating and his could feel some of his aches easing slightly.

He sat on his knees at a small table with Taki across from him. Her brother sat to the side and between them. As he ate, he listened to the siblings as they spoke in quiet voices. For the extent that Ulrich had been trapped in the village, he had tried to listen closely so he could learn their language. Only these past few days had he been able to really start understanding what was being said.

"_Promise you won't hurt him so badly today_," Taki was saying as she ate her rice. "_It's a miracle he can even walk after yesterday_."

"_Hey_," Tadashi said, feeling insulted. "_I was assigned to whip him into shape, I'm just doing my job_."

"_You don't have to be so brutal, though_."

"_What?_" he asked, setting his goblet down. "_Would you rather have Master Maki teach him…? I'm gentle compared to him_."

"_I don't recall Riyo-chan telling you to break some part of Ulrich-san's body every time you duel_," Taki snapped.

She knew that she'd have better luck trying to talk some sense into a wall of stone than with Tadashi. It was just so…painful…? Infuriating…? Saddening to watch her strange friend be pummeled by her brother _without remorse_.

"_What do you care?_" he asked with sneer. "_You seem to enjoy tending to his little bruises and cuts…both of you do in fact_."

"_I do not!_" she almost yelled.

Seeing her brother's sneer and Ulrich's half-questioning and half-understanding glance, she looked away. Thankfully she looked away, for a moment longer and she'd have seen Ulrich's following blush. Taking several breaths, she returned to eating quietly. The silence lasted for what seemed an eternity; it was very uncomfortable.

Then, picking up his empty bowl of vegetables, Ulrich held it up politely toward Taki. As she looked questioningly at him, he hesitantly said, "_I thank you, Taki-san... May I have more?_"

Tadashi and Taki looked at him dumbfounded for a moment. Then a smile spread her face and small laugh escaped. "_I—well… Yes, please! Have—have as much as you want!_"

While he refilled his bowl, Ulrich could feel Tadashi's gaze on him. It was extremely annoying to him that he had to share the same house as his sparring partner. He knew long before a moment ago that Tadashi seemed to enjoy beating Ulrich. He resented the teenager for the multiple times he'd been unable to effectively defend himself from his forthcoming beatings.

"_How long could you understand what we're saying_?" Tadashi demanded threateningly.

"_For a few days now_," he answered truthfully, keeping his gaze on his bowl. "_Not a lot, but enough to understand_."

Tadashi scrawled for a moment. With a sudden grin, he looked at Taki smugly. Chuckling, he said, "_Well, it looks like you can be his nurse fulltime now_."

"_Shut up_," Taki snapped.

Ulrich, though his face didn't show it, understood what had been said. He fought back a second blush that was threatening to escape. The last thing he wanted was for either Tadashi or Taki to see that he was blushing. It would give his sparring partner some new material to taunt him with if he knew.

As his mind involuntarily began to fill with Taki's face, a mental slap knocked him senseless. Yumi's face replaced Taki's and he felt his familiar emotions for her flooding through him, while his confused emotions for Taki began to wash away.

_I'll be back_, he told her face forcefully. _I'll be back_.

He knew how he could get back. He would have to devote himself utterly to his training, night and day relentlessly. He would become the best warrior that had ever walked out of this village in more than a century. He had to. It was the only way.

The dull thuds and whacks of wood on wood and wood on flesh sounded from a pair of swordsman that was training. They fought with a ferocity that in the outside world was unheard of. But in their tiny village it was an everyday event.

Ulrich ducked under slash and brought his sword up in an arc. Tadashi managed to jump back and the sword passed through the air without even touching him. Taking a cautious step forward, he gave a fast jab at Ulrich's extended wrist. The wood slapped his hand, sending confusing sensations of numbness and pain up his arm. His sword dropped from his nerveless hand as he backed away, holding it gently.

Standing with his sword on his shoulder, Tadashi let a satisfied grin on his face. Almost carelessly, he glanced over at his grandfather and Taki who stood several paces away. Riyo was expressionless but Taki wasn't. She glared at him for a moment then turned her attention back to Ulrich.

As she started approaching, Ulrich gingerly tested his hand. Flexing his fingers slowly, he could feel that it would be sore for several days. But other than that, it was just fine.

He was going to kill Tadashi for this. He hated being hurt like Tadashi was doing to him everyday, without fail. It was maddening, infuriating… in fact he just couldn't think of the proper word to use. But his anger rose with each pulse of pain that raced from his hand to his brain. Then, Taki's shadow enveloped his hands and he looked up at her.

Holding his fallen weapon out, she looked at him carefully in the eyes. As he took the sword, she said, "_Ulrich-san, do not think… just fight_."

"Just fight?"

"Yes," she said. "Just fight."

"Just fight," he mused as she bowed and hurried back to her former position.

Closing his eyes, Ulrich let his breath out and drew in a slow, deep one. With all his self-will, he made his mind go blank, only Taki's words remained. _Just fight_. With difficulty he suppressed his anger and slowly opened his eyes. _Just fight_. Standing in front of him was Tadashi. _Just fight_. Then in an instant, he understood.

He understood what she meant.

It was like an awakening in his brain. Everything seemed to be in perfect alignment with one another. He just couldn't describe it: the wind pulling at his hair and clothing and the rustle of the trees and their leaves. It was as if he had become one with his surroundings. Everything had lost its identity, including him.

He watched his opponent as he slowly flexed his grip on his weapon and brought it up into position. He could see the look of concentration on his face and he knew that he was in the same mind frame. Ulrich didn't even notice himself setting up for an attack; it was all instinct.

Then, they struck.

The clash of their weapons sounded loudly as they struck head on with one another. Drawing his weapon back, he stepped back, avoiding his opponent's following kick. Bringing his sword down in an arc, he hit only air as his opponent leaned out of the way. As his opponent brought his own sword up in an arc, he used his momentum to duck under it.

Lunging to the side, they rolled off each other's backs, swinging their weapons full force. Then, with a burst of speed, they brought their swords up to the other's throats without touching.

A draw.

Then, as suddenly as his awakening had occurred, it disappeared. He became Ulrich Stern again. In his mind replayed the fight that he'd just fought. To his utmost surprise, he realized that he and Tadashi had been fighting with speeds that no normal person could possibly comprehend. He was greatly surprised to find himself breathing as easily as he would walk down a path.

It was startling; had he been able to move like that only because he'd lost all identity? If that were true, it would explain why he'd been being beaten everyday. He had been slow, much too slow. Ulrich wasn't sure if he was relieved to have found this discovery or not.

He barely noticed Tadashi's surprised expression and following bow of respect. Snapping from his revere, Ulrich bowed as well. Looking back toward Riyo, he saw a look of pride on his face. He knew that Riyo knew what he'd found mere moments ago. He knew that the real test would soon begin.


	5. Patience and Perseverance

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 5--Patience and Perseverance_

"_Faster_!" Master Maki barked.

Nozomi grunted in his exertion. The six-year-old was sprinting as fast as he could uphill with his father at his heels. Master Maki was a hard driven warrior and he wanted his son to be as well.

Ulrich watched the duo as they sprinted pass him. He felt lucky that he hadn't had to train with Master Maki; that would've been hell for him those first few weeks. But now as he was walked back from the field, he couldn't help but question if he could fare better under Maki's tutorage.

Beside him, Taki was restraining herself from staring at him. He could feel her curiosity and hated it. He hated being the center of attention for extended periods of time. Taki knew this because he had told her shortly after arriving so, for his sake, she tried to look elsewhere.

It just didn't seem logical to her that Ulrich could be able to find that awareness. She had seen him and Tadashi move with speeds and skills that only the Masters were able to achieve. Taki had been training since she was four and still she hadn't been able to find that awareness. Then, after less than two months, a boy who had just arrived discovered and mastered it in one afternoon.

It just wasn't possible.

As they approached the village, the familiar sounds of daily life enveloped them. There came arguing from neighboring housewives, the clucking of chickens as they picked through the garden terraces, several young children were running about playing, and the clangs of the blacksmith hammering on a slab of metal that resembled a sword blade.

Stopping near the blacksmith's hut, Ulrich watched. He always loved watching Takei hammer away at the would-be katana. It was a perfect example to him of how perseverance and patience always paid off. And yet, Ulrich knew that Takei seemed to be taking much longer at constructing this individual sword compared to the others he'd made.

The blacksmith was capable of producing a battle-ready katana in less than four months, which was an incredible feat in itself. He prided himself in knowing that as of yet, none of his katanas had ever been broken or bent. Ulrich had heard from Taki that he had been making this sword for nearly _two years_!

Takei noticed his audience as he withdrew from pounding to wipe some stray beads of sweat away. Giving a small, knowing smile to Ulrich, he returned to his work. Taking shallow breaths, he blew upon the metal for a moment before resuming.

Taki slipped her hand gently into his and pulled him away. Though she'd have loved to tell him why Takei was taking so much time with this katana in particular, Riyo had asked her to take Ulrich before the council again.

(A/N) Yeah, yeah! It's short. But all stories have short chapters. This one is merely a transition.

I'm glad that you liked my previous chapter, Nikana. I really didn't know what I was trying to say when I was describing Ulrich's 'awareness,' but it would seem as though it turned out pretty good.

Until next time!


	6. Choices

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 6--Choices_

"_You have grown remarkably_," Master Riyo stated clearly.

Ulrich stood once again before the line of old men. The hot summer sun beat down on his bare shoulders as a cold breeze raced passed him. However, this time was different: the entire village seemed to have gathered to witness Ulrich's tests.

Shrugging off his discomfort of being the center of attention yet again, he forced himself to listen to Riyo whom was continuing. "_Your skills have surpassed all our expectations. You have shown yourself to be an honest individual who one can trust. You have passed all our conditions to prove yourself worthy of returning to your old home, except one. You must pass this final test before you are allowed to leave_."

A sinking feeling opened up in Ulrich's stomach. He instinctively knew that this final condition was going to be something that he would hate to complete, much less consider. After a glance at Taki, he saw her face drop slightly. She knew what it was, and she wouldn't tell him despite his asking her multiple times.

"_Your final test is_," Master Riyo paused momentarily to take a breath. That moment seemed like eternity to Ulrich. "_… Mortal combat against a person of your skill level and… only one can walk away_."

Ulrich stared at Riyo, his face as stoic as he could manage. In his mind processed the information that was just given to him. _Mortal combat_? He thought with bitterness. _So in simple terms, you want me to kill or be killed… KILL A PERSON! NO WAY!_

It was only after an echo died that he realized that he'd spoken, or rather _shouted_, his thoughts. From the confused expressions of many of the villagers, Ulrich was realized that he'd spoken in his native tongue. Though many didn't understand his words, they quickly understood his attitude.

"_Do you accept_?" asked Master Maki.

The graying old man suppressed a grin as Ulrich shot a deadly glare at him. Though he'd never admit it, Maki was rather impressed with the boy's motivation, determination, and perseverance from what he'd seen of him in the training field. The boy's spirit was powerful yet he had no guidance as to how to use it.

"_NO!_" Ulrich snapped. "_I will not kill anyone! Not even you, you overused pile of horseshit!_"

The villagers suddenly looked away. They knew where this was going; it was inevitable. Taki closed her eyes and looked away from her friend. He had just refused to take the final test and that was forgivable; but not showing respect to the council wasn't.

Standing up awkwardly in the loose sand, Ulrich glared up at the men standing above him. They had just shoved him into a sandpit that was easily three times deeper than he was tall. It was his punishment.

Master Maki walked forward into Ulrich's line-of-vision and smiled. Of all the things that changed with time, a boy's respect and humility were often changed. While most developed these morals slowly, others needed reminders where their places were. So this was the 'reward' for a warrior-would-be whose arrogance had grown.

"_Let me out of here right now!_" Ulrich shouted. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were pale. But other than that, his face and body language were blank.

"_You have shown severe disrespect to an elder and a warrior_," Maki said. "_Thus you shall remain here until deemed otherwise. Consider yourself lucky, boy. Normally I kill those who insult me!_" Then he walked away. It took only a moment before loud shouting and swearing erupted from the pit.

After a few minutes, Ulrich's enraged voice died away. Sitting down roughly on the sandy floor, he forced himself to breathe deeply and slowly. It was pointless to scream and shout like he had been moments ago. As he sat there in the moist shade of the pit, his anger was dampened by its coolness. Within moments, he realized just how immature he had been acting; he deserved this punishment.

Resting his hands on his knees, Ulrich's eyes slowly closed. A calm darkness filled his mind. Concentrating, he focused on the sounds, smells, and feel of his new surroundings. Peace quickly began to fill him. Then, unbidden memories flooded into his mind.

Up on the surface, Taki walked forward. She knelt down at the edge and peered over. Quickly finding the lone boy inside, she saw him as he entered into a meditative stance.

Smiling slightly, she watched him for a moment. When his face was in the shadows with his quickly growing hair partially covering it, he was awfully cute. It was painful for her look at him. She knew that he had already found the girl that held his heart; it was painstakingly obvious from the way he was always reluctant to share her company. It hurt her so much because she knew that she'd fallen in love with him the moment she'd first seen him.

Sighing to herself, she stood and walked over to a nearby tree. Sitting down, she looked around at her familiar surroundings. She was in the nearest corner of the training field to the village.

The pit that Ulrich-san was in had always served two purposes to the villagers. It was a perfect training simulation of how to escape a deep hole or trap. But it was used much more for the use of solitary confinement; everyone was put down there eventually: even herself.

_He was in darkness. It was a cold, lonely feeling. An evil presence loomed somewhere nearby; he couldn't see it, but he knew it was there. It was always there, watching and waiting. Now, however, it had found him. Alone, he was no match against this deadly foe. He knew that he had to find someone, anyone, before the darkness consumed him._

_Looking around, he spotted the flicker of a light in the distance. Sprinting as fast as he could toward, the light grew in size and brightness. Squinting against the blinding glare, he glimpsed several silhouettes that suddenly appeared in the light. There was one, two, three, four…five of them and all looked familiar._

_Just as he was a few paces away from them, his body suddenly gave under the strain of his sprint. Stumbling, he tried to reach out for their aid as they lunged to his assistance. Just before he could get hold of them, the ground suddenly gave out from under him._

_He fell. He fell back into the darkness, far and fast from the light and silhouettes. He knew he was falling but he didn't feel any wind rushing around him, only that the evil presence was growing continually stronger. Then, all at once, he saw a red symbol. It was symbol he'd not seen in almost two months, but he recognized it instantaneously._

_XANA!_

Opening his eyes quickly, Ulrich looked around him in fear. A cold sweat made his body feel clammy and the night air was ruthless. The gentle sounds of the night enveloped him and promised that all was at peace, but he knew things weren't. Xana had found him. He just knew it somehow. Even now, he could almost sense the evil eye upon him.

"_About time you came to, boy,_" growled a voice dangerously.

Looking up to the surface of the pit, Ulrich instantly spotted the silhouette of Master Maki. In the limited light of the moon, he could see the man was clearly ecstatic for some reason. It was rather unnerving to Ulrich.

"_We can leave you in here for days, boy_," Maki said coldly. "_Or you can end your time here by accepting the challenge…Do you accept?_"

Fighting back his newly awakened anger, Ulrich forced himself to look Maki in the eye. It would not do to appear weak before this man ever again. It was as he was thinking this that his stomach growled hungrily. Instantly contradicting his previous mindset, he closed his eyes and tried to force himself to ignore the emptiness of his stomach.

Looking down toward the ground, he thought out his options quickly. He could and probably would be trapped in this pit for at least a few more days, enduring starvation and thirst, or he could swallow his pride and accept. To choose to continue his torment as his pride was telling him to could easily lead to his own undoing. But to choose the latter of his options, he would allow himself to become a murderer_! I will _not_ sink that low!_ he screamed at himself.

Seeing the look of grim determination on the boy's face was answer enough for Maki. "Perhaps in a few days, you'll change your mind," he stated as he turned and walked away.

Sitting down roughly on the sandy floor, Ulrich ground his hands into the dirt. He could go a few days without food and water. As his body begged for rest and relaxation, he slowly laid himself down. His last thought before sleep claimed him was that he would his training regime in the morning.

* * *

(A/N) Things don't seem to be in Ulrich's favor not now, huh? Just you wait 'til the next chapter! You're going to get a gentle reminder of someone important in this world. 


	7. Just In Time

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 7--Just In Time_

A quiet sound woke him. Drowsily, he opened his eyes and sat up. Stifling a yawn, Ulrich wiped his eyes and climbed to his knees. Rubbing his neck irritably, he dried to ease the pain of his parched throat without success. He was thirsty, very thirsty.

As he was pulling his arms behind his head, stretching his tense muscles, he heard the sound again. It was that of quiet feet walking on the grass. Looking up toward the sky, he saw only a few faint lines of color appearing overhead. Whoever was awake was up much earlier than many of the villagers usually were.

Then a dark figure appeared overhead. Despite the billowing cloak that was wrapped around her body, Ulrich instantly recognized Taki. He couldn't help but to smile up at her as she knelt down toward him. Seeing his smiling face, Taki grinned mischievously as she held a single finger to her lips.

Nodding, Ulrich watched as she reached into her cloak. For a wild moment, he thought she was going to throw him down a rope. _She's going to help me!_ A new appreciation for her awakened in him as he realized that she could get into a lot of trouble if she got caught.

What she pulled from her cloak was a small pouch. Lightly dropping it to him, her smile blossomed even more. It felt so nice to be helping people when they were in trouble.

Catching the pouch easily, Ulrich instantly noticed it was carrying something. Opening it quickly, he poured the contents into his hand. A small slab of cheese, meat, and a small vile of water fell into his hand. Looking up at Taki, his face was stoic but his eyes were large with surprise.

Drinking the water quickly, he felt a relieved sensation inside of his throat. The dry skin was momentarily content with the small amount of liquid. Now he truly understood the importance of water to a human being.

A gently whistle from above caused him to look up. Beckoning with her hand, Taki pointed toward the pouch and vile. Understanding her intent, Ulrich replaced the container back into the pouch and threw it up to her. She had to lean over to catch it before it fell back inside.

As Ulrich devoured the cheese and meat greedily, Taki stood and started to walk away. Before she lost sight of him, Taki placed two of her fingers to her lips and blew a silent kiss toward him. Whether it was a good thing or bad, Ulrich didn't see her action or her walking away.

A quiet smile rested on her face as she hurried back to her house before Tadashi awoke.

In all his life, nothing ever came close to how bored he had been feeling for the past two days. Ulrich had had no company, no motivation, and especially no meals. His hunger, thirst, and boredom put him into a horrible mood.

With the never-ending reminder of an empty and complaining stomach, Ulrich sat in the little shade that the pit had to offer. For the thousandth time, he wondered if Taki had been caught after she'd given him that tiny meal. She hadn't come back since that early morning for the past two days.

Finding it hard to concentrate on anything other than his body's demands, Ulrich slumped against the sandy wall. Glancing up at the pit's rim for the umpteenth time, he saw what he'd expected, no one.

Nodding his head in frustration, he had to blink his hair out of his eyes again. Halfheartedly brushing it aside, he realized that if he ever got out of here he'd need to cut his hair or get a bandana.

"_Boy!_" barked a voice from above. Looking up, Ulrich climbed to his feet and glared at Master Maki. "_You have two choices: fight or die. The council has agreed that this shall be your last chance. What is your choice?_"

Ulrich's answer instantaneous. "_I will fight but I will not kill!_"

Maki almost grinned. "_That was the wrong answer. What a shame. You could've been great one day_." With his piece stated, Maki turned and walked away.

He was near death. With a body screaming for water, he was sprawled out on the ground. Feebly he tried to find the strength to climb to his feet. He had to escape and find water. But with his failing strength, he could barely manage to climb to his elbows.

_Is this what it's like to die_, he wondered. Collapsing from his latest attempt, he somehow rolled on to his back and looked up at the morning sky that was filling with colors.

I _wonder what Yumi's doing right now? Probably starting school by now. She'd be in what? Eighth grade? Ninth? ARGH! I can't remember anymore!_

Looking up to the sky, he wasn't too surprised to see his vision wavering out of focus. _What did I do to piss you off so badly, God? Last I checked I had been fighting a computer virus from destroying humanity, your creations! Why are you doing this to me?_

_Is it because I didn't ask Yumi to that dance? Because if that's the reason, I understand completely now. If I'd have just hit that damn speed dial and asked, this wouldn't have happened. So what if she'd said no, at least I'd still be there, with her. There and not here in this Godforsaken pit_.

Somehow finding the strength, Ulrich screamed out up at the sky. "_If you can forgive my stupidity—THEN HELP ME OUT OF HERE!_"

In response, everything stopped. It became quiet, eerily quiet. It was something that made Ulrich stop his ranting and look up toward the rim of the pit. In the sky he saw a bird frozen in the air, and then a… blinding white light.


	8. Second Chance

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 8--Second Chance_

The light faded and Ulrich found himself resting against the wall of the pit. His face was hanging limply to the side and his hair fell into his eyes. Reaching up to brush it away, he stopped. Then he looked at his hands, surprised to feel a small amount of strength inside them. Relief and simple joy rose inside of him. A small smile blossomed on his face as a laugh escaped.

As Master Maki approached the pit, it suddenly erupted with a loud, joyous laughter. Peering inside the pit, he glimpsed a sight that was almost startling. Ulrich had climbed to his feet and was dancing around, laughing and shouting his thanks to some unseen force at the top of his lungs. He kept up his blissful dance until exhaustion and his aching sides forced him to kneel down.

"_Boy!_" Maki barked down at him.

Looking up, Ulrich climbed to his feet and shot a carefree grin up at Master Maki. It was peculiar to him. Could the boy's mind have finally snapped from his constraints inside?

"_You have two choices: fight or die,_" he said, careful to keep his confusion and curiosity clear of his face and voice. "_The council has agreed that this shall be your last chance. What is your choice?_"

"_I'll certainly kill _someone_ when I get out of here_!" Ulrich called out, his expression finally returning to normal. Crossing his arms, he looked up at Maki with a familiar stoic face.

"_Good_," Maki said smiling. "_You're finally learning_."

* * *

The warmth of the water from the hot spring felt wonderful on his body. It relaxed his tense muscles and helped him calm himself. For the first time in almost two days his body was at last at ease. 

Scrubbing the scum from his hair, Ulrich glanced suspiciously around him. He was in a secluded portion of the forest, less than ten minutes walk from the village. The sunlight danced through the forest canopy as he cleansed himself. The pool was a wedge shape up amongst a large pile of rocks near the base of a collapsed part of a ridge. It was deep enough for Ulrich to completely submerge his body and wide enough for him to float spread-eagled on the surface.

Pulling himself under the surface, he held his breath as long as he could. Opening his eyes, he looked up at the wavering image of the forest above him. Shaking his head to move his hair from his field of vision, he smiled. It was a sight he'd never seen before, it was almost beautiful.

Rising to the surface, he found his hair sticking to his face. His bangs reached as far as his cheeks. Smirking he wiped it away and swam over to his pile of clothes. Yes, he would definitely need to cut his hair and soon.

It was as he was pulling his new clothes on to him that he heard something. It sounded like a branch snapping. Dropping his shirt to ground, he scanned the area around him. The forest seemed to have gone strangely silent.

As quietly and slowly as he could, Ulrich slipped his sandals on to his feet. Kneeling down, he picked up his shirt and started slowly walking back to the village. Something was definitely different now. He could feel it, like an approaching storm in a cloudless day.


	9. Confession

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 9--Confession_

It was an eerie feeling. It was like he was being watched. And the feeling followed him until he was well back into the village. Only when he walked into Taki's and Tadashi's home did it finally vanish.

He went to his room. Standing at the entrance of his room he saw a new pile of clothing waiting for him. But unlike his previous clothes, which were of a dark emerald color, these were a dull black and bordered with a peculiar green leafy pattern. Closing the thin sliding doors behind him, Ulrich approached the pile.

When he walked out, he wore the clothing with his dark sash tied tightly around his waist. He felt oddly out of place. All the villagers wore dark colors that were comfortable and fluid with the body's movements. What he wore now was almost the opposite of what he'd come to be accustomed to.

With the sleeves ending just above his elbow, his arms were uninhibited in their movements. The pants were quite baggy and draped down his legs like a curtain. But when he was putting them on, he'd discovered some loose straps that were sewn tightly on to the bottoms of the pants. He had bound the straps snugly around his shins. The outfit as a whole was flashy, true, but he found it very comfortable and even easier to move around in than before.

He was walking down the hall towards the exit when, ahead him, Taki stepped out of one of the rooms. She noticed his approach and waited for him, a hesitant smile on their faces.

Stopping in front of her, Ulrich gave a small smile. "Thank you for helping me the other day," he said quietly. At seeing her partly confused expression, he repeated, "_Thank you, Taki-san, for helping me_."

A small smile tugged at her lips but it was obvious that she was trying to restrain it. In his face she could see his appreciation of her selfless act. Though she had been caught and severely reprimanded, it had been worth it. Just to see him here with that small smile of his.

Then a genuine smile of happiness crossed her face as she watched him blow an annoying bang out of his eyes. Glancing back into the room that she'd just exited, Taki glimpsed the glint of steel that she was looking for. Tugging on Ulrich's arm, she pulled him inside the room.

"Kneel," she said as she grasped the knife. He obeyed without question and she took the blade to his hair. Strands of his dark hair soon fell and covered his shoulders, new clothing, and the floor as she sawed at the back of his head and temples.

As she was about to start on his bangs, he reached up and caught her hand. Standing up, he smiled as he said, "Thank you, Taki-san. That's all I wanted cut."

Nodding her understanding, she walked over to the bench that held the clothing and sewing supplies. Despite how much she hated sewing, as much as she loved to fight and train with all the other men in the village, she was forced to admit that she was very good at sewing. The very clothes that Ulrich now wore were her best work to date.

Setting the knife down, she could feel Ulrich's gaze upon her back. It both warmed her heart with love and anger. She couldn't help but feel mad that she wasn't who he was in love with. Nodding her head as a silent tear fell from her eye, she saw a long strap of black cloth nearby.

Hurriedly wiping her face, she grasped the cloth. Turning to face him, she found him standing where she left him but his face was now empty. Walking up to him, she held the cloth up to his forehead. He made no attempt to stop or help her as she tied it snugly behind his head.

She could feel her heart start racing at how close this act had brought her to him. As the heat in her face rose, so did her breathing, unintentionally. Though she couldn't tell if he noticed or not, she could feel her fingers start to tremble as she was finishing. It just felt so nice to be this close to him; he was such a nice person.

Then, as she was lowering her hands, she made eye contact with him for the first time since she'd started. Those eyes, those large dark eyes, stared into hers. She felt herself moving forward unintentionally. Only when her lips touched his did she realize what she was doing. But by then, she realized that she couldn't stop even if she'd have wanted to. She kissed him deeply, passionately.

But then she realized that it was only she who was kissing, not him. Pulling away slightly, she looked up into those eyes again. They were the same as before, yet different. They were almost like he had closed himself off to her. She could feel a tear in her eye when she realized that.

"_I'm sorry, Taki-san_," he said, extremely quietly.

Slowly, they separated. Though they walked outside together, both found it hard to look at each other. It was a cruel twist of fate that they couldn't be together. But as they walked toward the council they realized that they were from two different worlds. It wouldn't have worked out for them, even if they'd wanted.

Before they left each other's company, Ulrich looked over at her and said, "_Taki-san, promise me that no matter what happens in life we'll always be friends_."

Taki looked at him for a moment. Then smiled.

* * *

Masters Riyo and Maki watched the pair as they approached with a feeling of apprehension. Riyo felt a sixth sense warning that they were being watched. It had started ever since his newest pupil had returned. Now, however, it was intensifying. 

"They make quite a couple, do they not?" Maki asked with a bemused grin. "It'd be a shame to have the boy return to his hometown."

"That boy is much more than meets the eye," Riyo said quietly. "He may even be the key to our long overdue peace."

Maki caught on to Riyo's train of thought instantly. "The Warrior of Legend?"

Riyo nodded in confirmation.

"What makes you think that this boy is the warrior?" Maki demanded. He believed that the prophecy was just a fairytale told to the children to ease them into sleep. That a single warrior would end their centuries long war with their rivals on the other side of the mountain and bring them to peace was just ridiculous.

"His skill far surpasses all others of his age," Riyo glanced at Maki briefly. "Including yourself at his age."

Before Maki could make a reply, Ulrich stepped up toward them. All talk that was going on between the elders and villagers alike died away. An air of nervous anticipation hung heavy over the gathered people as they watched him approach the council.

* * *

**(A/N)** I'm quite good at making cliffhangers, aren't I? Well, for those of you who don't appreciate it, I'm sorry. But I have to do it. How else would I keep your attention? 

As of the previous chapter, the Climax was over. It's all downhill from here on. But don't let deceive you, things are going to get a lot more interesting and exciting in the upcoming chapters. I promise to try to make longer chapters, but I can't determine how reliable that promise will be.

If you wish to learn more about me, check out my new profile.

Adios!


	10. Fighting Spirit

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 10--Fighting Spirit_

He stood in the strangest structure he'd ever seen in his life. It looked like it had once been a home at one time, but it had been stripped bare of everything that made it a home. All that remained was the skeletal remains, only the most necessary of support beams still stood, and the roof.

The ceiling was by far in the best condition, despite the obvious cracks and rotting wood in various places. It had the appearance as though it had been through many battles from all the slashes and chips of wood that were missing. Ulrich was surprised that it still stood on the cliff edge that it had been built on.

Keeping his hands on the hilt of the katana that had been given to him, Ulrich walked forward wearily. He'd had been told that his opponent was waiting for him, but as far as he could see he was alone. However, the tingling at the back of his neck told him that he was being watched.

Ulrich couldn't help but to thank Master Riyo that he had given him a choice of weapons. His master had said that he was required to carry a katana, but he had a choice of two more concealed weapons. Hidden inside his sash were a dozen throwing stars and a long whip was concealed inside his shirt. While it was slightly uncomfortable having such sharp objects so close to his abdomen, Ulrich felt oddly calmed by their presence.

As his free hand strayed toward his sash, Ulrich glanced carefully around him. It was quiet, too quiet, inside the structure. He tried to concentrate on finding his opponent but he could still feel the gazes of the villagers and many other warriors outside.

A brief memory flashed through his mind at that thought. He had been walking up the cliff toward the building at the head of the villagers. The night was dying with the approaching colors of dawn that were silently creeping over the mountaintops. The closer he approached the structure, the more he began to notice men and young teenagers emerging from the woods and rubble of the rising day.

Rather than joining the villagers, the newcomers matched Ulrich's pace. They glared at him from behind black masks as their hands crept eagerly towards their weapons. It was rather nerve-wracking for him to continue at a steady pace from the feeling of danger that was threatening to consume him.

A head suddenly dropped down and lingered in front of his face. A putrid breath assailed Ulrich and snapped him back to reality. He made a fast evaluation of this person. It was a middle-aged teenager, easily sixteen. The boy had the body build of an experienced wrestler and was quite clearly larger than Ulrich. Long blond hair was hung from his head like a cape and clashed badly with his dark uniform. His face, from what Ulrich could see of it, was covered with ugly scars and acne. The boy's blue eyes were narrowed in mixed versions of anger and anticipation.

"_Figures_," he growled from his hanging position. Running a hand through his curtain-like hair, he continued with distaste. "_All that smoke they blow up my ass and _this_ is what I'm suppose to kill? This won't even be fun_."

Taking a step back, Ulrich gazed up at the boy. "_Sorry for the inconvenience_."

Laughing loudly, the teen dropped to feet. Slowly standing up to his full height, he grinned knowingly down upon the smaller boy. He was almost surprised when he noticed that Ulrich didn't seem the least bit intimidated by his superior size in height and brawn.

"_So tell me, boy_," he said in his deep bass voice. "_Will I have the pleasure of your name before I strangle you?_"

Staring almost pityingly up at the arrogant teen, Ulrich said, "_I am Ulrich Stern_."

Laughing loudly at the ridiculous sounding name, the boy started to pace around Ulrich. He could see that this small boy, though not very brawny, had the build of a warrior in-training.

"_Would you honor me with your name?_"

Suddenly feeling insulted, the teenager leapt up and over Ulrich. Facing him with a furious glare, he snapped, "_You have never heard of the great Daisuke?_"

Raising an eyebrow, Ulrich said, "_Should I have?_"

Scrawling angrily, Daisuke returned to his pacing. With a resigned sigh, Ulrich said, "_You know, my masters wish for me to return with your head on a silver platter_."

A loud, smug laugh answered his statement. "_I bet those old has-beens would want that_," Daisuke said he snatched Ulrich's bandana pulled up off his head. He pulled it on to his own head and rather enjoyed to feel of it; he felt even stronger now.

As his hair fell into his eyes, his anger began to rise at the teen's lack of respect and arrogance. It was difficult for him to keep his voice straight as he continued, "_Personally I'd rather just knock you out and call it even_."

Turning to face Daisuke, he crossed his arms over his chest. He stealthily reached down towards his sash and throwing stars for he knew what was coming next. "_But let's make it you decision, shall we?_"

Crossing his own arms over his chest, Daisuke stroked his chin as he said, "_Hm, do let's_."

Barely half a second later, he lashed out with his arm and sent Ulrich flying several feet backward. Anticipating the blow, Ulrich had already grasped onto his stars and thrown them as he flew away. Daisuke saw them coming and quickly dodged them.

Landing roughly on his back, Ulrich forced himself up and threw three more stars at Daisuke's retreating and laughing form. Losing sight of the teen as he leapt up into the roof's rafters, Ulrich climbed to his feet. Walking quickly back into his former position, he glanced around, looking for his opponent.

* * *

Riyo stood a fair way away from the structure in which the death battle was taking place. He could feel a quiet pride rising inside of him. He knew that Ulrich was just toying with Daisuke. 

"_Your fighter is quite impressive_," Kurokawa said beside him. "_but he'll never face up to Daisuke_."

"_Your blind overconfidence will someday be your undoing_," Riyo stated in matter-of-fact voice.

Despite how much he respected Kurokawa as a warrior, he despised him as a human being. The fact that they were both the leaders of their villages meant that they had to show a ceremonial respect to one another.

Otherwise what little restraint the warriors on both sides had would've snapped and they'd attack. It was a lesson learned the hard way for the proud warriors. That one fight would lead to another and another until they were at war again.

Riyo hated the arrangement that they ancestors had made to handle the bitter grudge between them. Their best warriors would meet up at the building and battle to the death once a year. The last standing would then ring the bell on the roof and bring his village honor. Whether it was a good thing or bad, but neither side could gain enough prestige to outdo their rivals, it was aggravating.

"_I'll give your boy three minutes_," Kurokawa said with an evil grin. He had no intention of walking away with another defeat; his pride forbade it. One way or another, his village would surpass the samurai: one way or another.

Riyo only grinned as he watched.

* * *

The creaking of a board at the far end of the structure drew his attention. Then Daisuke dropped into view. Taking long, deliberate running paces toward Ulrich, his hands reached straight for the extra large katana that hung at his side. 

"_Here—I—come_!" he said, punctuating each word with a step. "_Ready—or—NOT!_"

Ducking and rolling under Daisuke's charging slash, Ulrich winced slightly as the teen collided with the main support beam. The entire structure visibly trembled from the impact and Ulrich could clearly hear the ringing of a bell on the roof singing. Backing away slightly from the teen, Ulrich couldn't help but smile at the teen's display.

"_My head_," he was whining as he clenched his throbbing forehead. "_MY HEAD!_"

Unsheathing his own katana, Ulrich rushed forward. Recovering enough, Daisuke saw him attack and reacted. Catching the blade that was slashing at his abdomen, he caught Ulrich off guard long enough to land a powerful punch his chest.

Losing his grip on his katana, Ulrich was thrown back almost fifteen feet. His back slammed into a beam and he felt the weak wood break under the force that carried him. As he landed heavily on his back with the wind knocked from him, a large portion of the roof suddenly collapsed on top of him thanks to the lack of support from the missing beam.

Laughing like a maniac, Daisuke picked up his katana and approached. Kicking Ulrich's katana to one side, he sneered down at the pile. That is until the sounds of snapping and breaking wood wove up into his ears. The sounds were coming the center of the pile.

His grin was instantly replaced by a frown as he sheathed his katana. Bending down he grasped a large section of the rubble and pulled. Heaving the heavy woodwork over his head, he looked down in surprise. There, in the center of the rubble, was a hole large enough for even him to fit through.

Daisuke was still deciding on whether to jump down into the hole when a rough hand descended upon his face. In one fast movement, Ulrich snatched his bandana from Daisuke's head. As Daisuke looked up in surprise to see Ulrich hanging from the portion of roof that he was holding, Ulrich's knee suddenly snapped down and hit him solidly in his face.

Screaming in pain, Daisuke dropped the roof, but not before Ulrich was able to slip out from underneath. Rolling away from the thrashing teenager, he quickly replaced his bandana on to his forehead.

"That must've hurt," Ulrich mused with a small grin.

Upon hearing his voice, Daisuke forgot his immediate pain. Turning, he rushed the boy while he was still on the floor and unable to defend himself. Grabbing Ulrich's arm as he tried to ward him off, Daisuke yanked him bodily off the floor. Then, in three fast swings, sent him flying up and through a weak part of the ceiling.

Landing heavily upon the roof, Ulrich cradled his aching head; it had taken the blunt of the hit. He rolled unconsciously away from the hole that he'd just made, and just in time. For a second later, Daisuke's colossal form leapt up through the hole and landed where he'd been.

Throwing back his arms, Daisuke deep a deep breath. With a loud, obnoxious sigh, he cried, "_AH! Fresh mountain air!_"

Chuckling evilly to himself, he swaggered over to Ulrich. Grasping the boy's neck, he pulled him bodily off the ground and half dragged and half carried him to the edge of the structure.

"_I think you'll find the scenery over here_," he was saying as they neared the edge. "_Worth dying for_."

Holding Ulrich over the edge, he threw back his back and laughed like a lunatic. For what lie below them was easily a three hundred foot cliff. Upon seeing the drop, Ulrich's hand crept unobtrusively toward his shirt where his whip was still hiding.

Bringing Ulrich face to face with himself, Daisuke's grin was large and knowing. "_It's been a _pleasure_ killing you_," he said. "_Sayonara!_" Accentuating his farewell, he threw Ulrich from him, far over the edge.

He had barely left Daisuke's grip when Ulrich pulled his whip free. As he descended, he flicked it up and toward Daisuke. The teenager didn't even see it coming until it was too late. The whip coiled itself around his waist tightly. Ulrich's weight and momentum quickly caught him, pulling him sharply downward. He almost lost his footing on the roof as he staggered to keep his balance.

Ulrich, meantime, swung down toward the cliff wall. Getting as decent a footing on the cliff face as he could, he glared back up at Daisuke who was finally balancing himself. Seeing his glare, Daisuke glanced down at the rope bound to him then back at Ulrich.

"_No_," Daisuke said, pleadingly. "_No, no, no!_"

With a swift yank, Ulrich was able to pull Daisuke right off his feet. Crashing down on to his stomach, Daisuke was able to get a hold of a rafter that was visible through a hole in the roof. It was that alone that prevented him from being pulled down into the canyon and to his death.

Chuckling, he reached down and grabbed the whip with his free hand. Seeing his action, Ulrich looked curiously up at him. What he saw was a large, ugly sneer.

"_My turn!_" he barked.

Then with a considerable heave of strength, Daisuke stood up and pulled the whip backward. Ulrich was yanked up forcefully; the force was so great that he actually flew up and over the roof's edge and Daisuke. Landing heavily on his back for like the third time, the wind was knocked from his lungs again.

Taking Ulrich's momentary disorientation, Daisuke unraveled the whip from his waist. Casting it over the cliff edge, he approached Ulrich and unsheathed his katana. This was just getting more and more fun by the minute, quite to his surprise.

Pulling himself up to his feet, Ulrich saw Daisuke's approaching form and tried to back away. However, he didn't even go two feet before his heels bumped into something. Glancing back, Ulrich found the source of the ringing bell he'd heard earlier. There was a little stand in the center of the roof with an elevated bell. Though it was nearly the size of his head, it was being blown gently from side to side with the wind.

Returning his attention to Daisuke, he reached into his sash and cast four throwing stars at him. Crouching low, the stars flew harmlessly over him. Looking up, he grinned evilly.

As anger began to rise in him, a familiar voice flashed through his mind. _Just fight_. Taking a shallow breath, he let his anger slip away. Within several seconds he became the calm center of a raging storm. And then, he felt an awareness rise within him. It wasn't the complete awareness he'd felt several days ago, but enough for him to understand the layout of the roof and Daisuke's form.

Seeing an opening in Ulrich's relaxed posture, he grinned wickedly. Rushing forward, he brought his katana up in hopes of cleaving the small boy from head to toe. When he was only a pace away, Ulrich suddenly glared at him and knelt down. Using Daisuke's momentum and bulk to his advantage, Ulrich sent him flying over his shoulder and into the little tower that held the held.

Whirling around, Ulrich caught the bell by the chain that held it. He waited patiently for Daisuke to stand. Using his katana as a cane, he climbed painfully to his feet. Glaring at Ulrich, he felt his blood boil with hate; this boy was going from annoying to fun to irritating very quickly.

"_You cannot defeat me, boy!_" he said, hefting the katana. "_You cannot defeat DAISUKE!_"

Rushing Ulrich, he brought his katana across hoping to split open his chest. However he slashed only air. Leaping high in the air, Ulrich brought the bell down with punishing force onto Daisuke's unprotected head. With a ringing sound in both their ears, Daisuke crashed to and through the roof.

Dropping back inside the structure, Ulrich landed lightly nearby. Daisuke lay with his face down on the floor on his stomach. Glancing at the bell, which was still singing its tune, he couldn't help but to grin.

"_Daisuke, huh?_" he said. "_Name rings a bell_."

Half expecting an arrogant reply, Ulrich was surprised when Daisuke remained where he'd fallen. Upon closer inspection, he saw a fast growing puddle of blood coming from the teenager. Unsure of whether to help or leave, Ulrich remained in place as his awareness died away.

"_Well done, boy_," Daisuke said. Yet he spoke in a voice that almost sounded like he was speaking with water in his mouth. Coughing for a moment, he continued in a strangely subdued tone, "_You are…indeed a skilled…warrior_."

Slowly rising into a sitting position, the teen looked at him. Ulrich was shocked at what he saw. The entire left side of his face had been mutilated; all flesh and muscle were stripped away, leaving only blood and bones to be seen. The blood from what was left of his face was pouring down his uniform and the floor, staining everything. It was a sickening sight; Ulrich felt his stomach getting very weak very quickly.

Smiling despite the indescribable pain, Daisuke tried to climb to his feet but could only reach his knees. Panting and coughing very hard, he glanced up at Ulrich who seemed rooted on the spot in his horror at what he'd done.

"_You…have beaten…me_," he said, bringing his katana up. "_But…I'm content…content to…commit…double suicide…_"

With that said, he summoned the last of his fading strength. Twirling around, he brought his katana down onto the weakened beam behind him. In one mighty slash, he broke it in half. As the two pieces fell the floor with Daisuke's body, the roof, now devoid of its primary supporter, quickly followed suite.

Realizing the immediate danger, Ulrich turned and sprinted for the closest opening in the wall. He was fast, very fast, but not enough. Just as he reached the opening, the roof came down on him.

* * *

**(A/N) **For those of you who are kind of squeamish, I'm sorry about that last part. I even found myself feeling a little unsettled while I was writing this, if that makes you feel any better. 

I can hardly wait the post the next chapter. Needless to say, something is going to happen. Let's have a **little contest** shall we? The one(s) who can **guess** or **come closest** to guessing what's going to happen will have the next chapter dedicated to them.

I hope you liked the chapter. I nearly **bust a gut** at several places in this reading, particularly the **bell thing**. I loved that one, personally.

Good luck to all of you who will play the 'game.'


	11. Take Flight, Gentle Dove

**(A/N)**This chapteris dedicated to Nikana Olos, Kree the Wolf, and Trillinka. I won't say how close you came to the truth, you'll have to read and find out. :D

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 11--Take Flight, Gentle Dove_

The fight had taken a turn for the deadlier. The only warning that the spectators had of this was shattering of the roof when Ulrich had been thrown through. But when the structure collapsed shortly after the combatants reentered it, it took all of them by surprise.

As the dust cleared and the rubble settled down, the people watched in vain hope for their fighter and friend to emerge. Kurowana felt a grin spreading his face. Daisuke must've lost; he knew the teenager's pride demanded that should he ever lose, he'd bring his opponent with him.

"_Ulrich-san!_" a young girl cried out nearby him.

It was only a moment later when he saw the source of the voice. It was the spawn of Riyo—Taki, wasn't it? She sprinted for the debris, barely restraining her tears of fear. _Perfect_, Kurowana thought evilly.

"_Get away from there, brat!_" one of his ninjas shouted. "_This fight isn't over yet!_"

Disregarding the warning, Taki reached the pile and began throwing the rubble aside. Her actions, though understandable, played right into Kurowana's plans. _Perfect, perfect!_

Facing Riyo, Kurowana tried to suppress his grin. "_Tampering with the battle is expressively forbidden according to our agreement, Riyo. By law, she must be punished_—"

"_DEATH!_" one of his ninjas cried out, almost too enthusiastically.

"—_I hesitate to say_." Kurowana finished as though his underling hadn't spoken.

Riyo's face deceptively empty as he watched his granddaughter dig through the debris. When he heard her relieved cry, he faced Kurowana with his hand resting nonchalantly on his katana hilt.

"_Punished she will be_," he said evenly. "_But she is only a child_—"

"_That is no excuse!_" Kurowana barked.

The warriors on both sides visibly tensed, each fighter unconsciously reaching for the reassuring feel of their weapons. It was a powder keg just waiting for a spark.

And it got it.

One of the ninjas slowly unsheathed his katana. In the silence of the morning, the scratching of steel on steel echoed loudly throughout the area. Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

It was hard to breathe, that was his first conscious thought. Then the pain reached him. With the heavy mass on top of him, Ulrich couldn't move from his sprawled position. Groaning against the pain that was racing up his spine, he tried futilely to pull himself out. 

Hearing his groans, Taki found him easily. Throwing back a section of the roof, she found him trapped on his chest with an enormous part of the roof lying on his back. His left arm was visible but his right was pinned underneath him.

The large portion of roof that had collapsed on top of him was pressing his down deeper into the rubble. Though its sheer weight was considerable, the rubble around him, which was mostly pillars, had provided enough support that he hadn't been crushed outright when it came down.

"_Ulrich-san!_" Taki cried, tears dropping from her eyes, despite her best restraint. "_Ulrich-san, are you okay?_"

Rushing to him, she grasped his wrist, feeling his pulse. It was as strong as ever. Breathing a sigh of relief, she knelt down and tried to heave the wood from him. It was too heavy, much too heavy.

"I wanna go home," Ulrich moaned, more to himself than anyone else.

Taki heard him and looked down at him. His eyes were closed, but his face was facing her. On it she could see many scrapes and growing bruises, battle scars from his fight and attempted escape.

"_If you can_," Taki said as she resumed her struggles. "_Try to help me lift this_."

Then the sounds of battle reached them. Both saw the horrific scene that lay before them. The samurai and ninja, when facing each other, seemed to be of an even match, but the ninja also preyed upon the villagers that had gathered there as well.

It was then that as he watched the villagers he'd come to know dying, Ulrich felt something rising within him. A rage he could never have imagined he possessed. The ninja, no matter who they were, were killing people who had lives and dreams, and were his friends.

"_Stop it!_" he cried out. But his voice was too weak to be heard over the din of the battle. Taki looked down at him in surprise; something had changed in his voice.

Tadashi fought beside Riyo as they tried to defend young Nozomi. Though he had several slashes across his thighs, Tadashi forced himself to remain standing. Riyo, though not visibly injured, was clearly tiring, his considerable age catching up to him. Nozomi, however, was lying on the ground in a heap with several cuts across his small torso.

Taking as deep a breath as he could, he screamed louder. "_STOP IT!_"

Takei, who, for the first time since Ulrich's arrival, had left his smith shop to watch, was on the ground bleeding from a deep stab wound to his gut. Before their eyes, a ninja walked up to him and, in one swift movement, decapitated the blacksmith. And so the battle continued.

"_THAT'S ENOUGH!_"

Ulrich's furious cry finally attracted the attention of Kurowana. Shoving the corpse of a samurai he'd just slain to one side, he walked over to the pair of children. His face held the grin of a man who knew that he'd finally found his calling in life.

"_What do you want, boy?_" he asked almost casually.

"_TELL THEM TO STOP IT!_" Ulrich screamed.

"_You are hardly in a position to give orders, boy_," Kurowana said as he drew his katana back. "_Prepare to die!_"

As the blade was descending toward Ulrich, Taki suddenly rushed forward and slammed her shoulder into Kurowana's side. Hit unexpectedly, Kurowana was thrown to the side and almost lost his balance.

Facing Taki, he glared menacingly. "_That was your last mistake, girl_," he growled.

Dropping into a defensive stance, Taki awaited the inevitable. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Kurowana sent a dagger sailing through the air at her. She couldn't dodge, despite her throwing herself to the side in a hurry. The dagger blade buried itself in her chest.

"TAKI!" Ulrich screamed, feeling tears coming to his eyes.

Taki glanced down at the weapon that was killing her. With a tear stained face, she faced Ulrich as she fell to her knees. Reaching futilely forward in a blind attempt to help his friend in any way, Ulrich failed to notice Kurowana standing triumphantly over her.

"_Ulrich-san_," Taki managed gasp out pleadingly.

Before either of them could say other word, Kurowana's blade flashed down in a bloody arc. Taki's body collapsed under its own weight as her head rolled to the side. Ulrich couldn't help but to stare.

His face was taunt with the strain of far too many emotions that were trying to spill out. Unnoticed tears fell shamelessly down his cheeks as his pupils dilated to pinpoints. His skin turned deathly pale as he gazed upon her.

She had been his only real friend here. She had always been kind to him. Always there to give some helpful advice and to help him with his injured body and pride. He had always taken her kindness for granted. What did he do to deserve a person such as her to look after him in this strange land?

Finally looking away from her, he glared up at the foul demon that stood before him. Kurowana had his bloodstained katana resting nonchalantly on his shoulder. His grin was large and full of arrogant self-love.

"_Don't cry, boy_," he said, unable to contain his pride. "_You'll be joining her soon enough_."

Closing his eyes, Ulrich tried to will away all of the death and agony. _It's just a dream_, he kept telling himself. _Just a dream…make it stop!_ He could feel any self-control that he may have still possessed rapidly disappearing.

_Taki_, he said to himself. In his mind played hundreds of memories from the past six weeks. _I know that you loved me. But to give up your own life for me! I…I let you die…I—I can't DO that! I won't watch anymore!_

Then, behind his eyelids, he glimpsed a blinding golden light. Opening his eyes, he hoped to see an approaching light that rewind time to allow him to fix what went wrong.

It was only the morning sun peeking over the mountains finally.

Then, as the light blinded his eyesight, he felt his rage finally break loose. It was like a frail, mangled rope that had been holding a heavy crate snapping from under the strain. A strange whiteness began to consume his mind as he felt himself losing himself.

**I WON'T WATCH THIS ANYMORE!** was his last coherent thought as his rational reasoning evaporated. Then with a deafening scream of unfathomable fury, the gentleness in Ulrich took flight like a frightened dove.

* * *

**(A/N) **For those you who were hoping for another Time Reversal, I'm sorry to say that that one in Just In Time will probably be the only one. 

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please review for me, **or I may not continue!**


	12. Ulrich Unleashed!

**(A/N)**This chapter is dedicated once again to Nikana Olos, Kree the Wolf, and Trillinka. This is for the simple reason that several of their guesses were correct.

This is a sad story, isn't it? Well, I know you all hate me for what I did to Taki. I hate what I did to her. But I'm writing a story that walks hand-in-hand with life, it is always unpredictable because so much can happen. That, I think, is why my stories seem to be so down-to-earth.

This is basically your typical chapter of Ulrich-beating-the-bad-guy's-senseless. But I promise that the next chapter will bring a bit of emotional relief for Ulrich (and hopefully all of you).

Nikana, I'm having so trouble emailing you. So I removed the block on my address in my profile. Have fun with it! ;)

I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 12--Ulrich Unleashed!_

His scream tore its way through the ears of every person within its reach. Everyone stopped their actions, no matter what they were doing, to seek out the source of the scream. They didn't have to look too hard either.

Planting his free hand on the ground in front of him, he somehow found the strength to lift the debris several inches from his back; just enough room for him to free his trapped arm. Pushing against the rubble with all his might, he heard Kurowana chuckling down upon him.

"_Well, well_," Kurowana said, grinning down on Ulrich's attempt to escape. "_What do we have here_?"

Upon hearing his voice, newfound hatred and strength boiled to the surface. Taking his first decent breath for several minutes, he let out another scream as he tried to force the collapsed structure off of himself.

With a surge of strength none of them had ever seen before, the small fighter trapped under the rubble broke free. It was unbelievable; the roof section first splintered then snapped in half altogether. He leapt up from his prone position to almost twenty feet in the air. The debris that had been pressing him down was smashed to pieces and cast aside as he leapt up through it.

The morning sun beat down on him making him almost looked as though he were glowing. Then, as he descended back to earth, the glow of his body faded as he left the sun's line of sight.

Landing in a crouched position behind Kurowana, he launched himself instantly forward toward a nearby ninja. The man was in the process of killing a young woman who was sprawled on the ground helplessly.

The only warning he got was the sound of running feet and a terrifying scream of fury. Then a fist connected with his jawbone, just below his ear. The force of the punch was so great that it actually tore the side of his face from his body. With a sickening gurgle, the ninja slumped to the ground.

Standing still for only a second's time, Ulrich glanced around for anyone else who was about to be killed. He spotted four ninjas gathered around Tadashi and Nozomi, easily twenty paces away. All of them were watching him in wonder and fear.

All they saw of him was a streak of black that was heading for them. Quickly in the midst of them, Ulrich threw one punch that connected solidly. The ninja crumbled to the ground as his comrades reacted.

Ducking under a slash from behind him, Ulrich whirled around and planted his foot into the man's temple. Using the momentum of his spin, Ulrich carried on toward the next ninja who was in the middle of a swing. Catching the blade easily, he lashed out with his fist and hit the man in his gut. Releasing his weapon, the ninja collapsed onto his back as he grasped his abdomen.

While still hold the katana by its blade, Ulrich jerked it to the side and deflected an incoming slash. Stepping inside the ninja's reach, he brought the katana tip down and stabbed it deeply into the man's chest.

As he turned away from the ninja, he looked again for any others. The rest of the ninjas seemed understand his deadly glare at them and backed away from the samurai instantly.

Facing Kurowana, who hadn't moved since killing Taki, Ulrich walked forward, ignoring the astonished stares of all around him.

Climbing to his feet, Tadashi watched Ulrich's retreating back. He had no idea what had just happened. Ulrich, who he knew seemed to like Taki, seemed to have been driven to a bloodlust over her death. As Ulrich's swift killing of the four men around him replayed in his mind, Tadashi realized something. Though inconceivable, it was the only thing that he could possibly think that explained his sudden newfound strength and speed.

"_The Warrior of Legend_?" Tadashi said softly.

Stopping just in front of the demon that had killed the one person he'd befriended, he glared menacingly up at him. Not the least bit deterred, Kurowana grinned arrogantly.

"_Well, well_," he said. "_It would seem you're more than meets the eye_."

The boy only glared at him with strangely dilated pupils.

"_You seem quite confident_," Kurowana said, feeling almost unsettled. "_Do you even think you stand a chance against me_?"

A cold glare was his response.

Dropping into an aggressive stance, Kurowana lunged forward with no warning. Slashing his katana in swift, narrow cuts, he hoped to open the boy's chest to the air around him. But it was his blade that hit air as the boy ducked and dodged each slash.

Growing irritated, Kurowana brought his katana high over his head in an attempt to cleave the boy from head to toe. But he left his entire body open and the boy's fist in his face quickly reminded him.

Backing away, Kurowana accidentally dropped his katana. Not giving him the chance to reclaim it, the boy rushed forward, swinging a flurry of punches and kicks that were almost too fast to see.

Blocking most of them, Kurowana swung his leg out. He had hoped to catch the boy off guard. But the boy merely brought his arm up and stopped his kick. The force of his kick actually caused the boy to slide a little across the ground. But he didn't seem to notice, nor did Kurowana. The boy's forearm felt like rocks on his shin, and the sheer and obvious strength in the boy's muscles startled Kurowana badly.

It was his moment's hesitation that allowed the boy to jerk forward and plant both his fists into his chest. The power of the double punch sent Kurowana flying back almost ten feet.

Landing roughly on his back, he would've slid for a little ways further. That is if he hadn't hit a pair of legs. Looking up he saw that he was at the boy's feet, who was glaring down on him like a furious dog.

Climbing as fast to his feet as he could, Kurowana turned to face him, only to find him missing. Lashing around with a fist, he spotted the boy behind him as he ducked under the punch.

Grunting in the strain, Kurowana forced his body to move as fast as he could. The two of them were quickly locked in a brutal fistfight. The boy had speed and determination, but Kurowana had experience and strength. Many of Kurowana's attacks hit only air as the boy dodged around, almost mockingly. Managing to land a punch on the boy's evasive form, his punch sent him to the ground.

Trying to climb to his feet, the boy looked up in time to Kurowana's knee fast approaching his face. The blow sent him away, sprawling him on his back. While the boy was breathing on the ground, very hard and audible breathing was heard from him.

"_Time to die_," Kurowana said as he drew a pair of daggers from his sash.

"_NO_!" came a shout behind him.

Whirling around, Kurowana instantly dodged Tadashi's furious attack. Knocking his katana from Tadashi's hands with one hand, he brought his other hand up and held the dagger dangerously under his chin.

"_You forget your place, boy_," Kurowana said, glaring.

As Kurowana swung his free blade toward Tadashi's torso, time slowed to a crawl. There came an inhuman scream behind Kurowana, instantly followed by the scratching of steel on stone.

Knocking Tadashi aside, Kurowana spun around to face whatever was approaching him. All he saw was a black blur racing up and over him with a line of silver cutting straight for his face.

Tadashi watched from his position on the ground as his sparring partner sailed easily twenty feet into the air and came to rest gently on his feet well behind him. Tadashi glimpsed Ulrich as he was turning slowly back to face his enemy. Then Kurowana whirled around again, seeking Ulrich.

Finding him, he dropped into an aggressive stance. Ulrich just watched him for a moment, and then slowly brought Tadashi's katana up to his face. It wasn't only a swordsman's salute for as he turned to the flat of the blade toward Kurowana, he showed himself something.

Dripping from the blade was fresh blood, Kurowana's blood.

Tadashi had only enough time to see Kurowana look surprised for a moment. Then, with a slushy slip, the upper half of his head parted from him. The two pieces of the ninja master fell limply to the ground near him.

Sighing, Ulrich lowered the katana, which quickly fell from his limp grasp. Then he force-marched himself back the ruins of the structure, back to Taki, as his mind finally emerged from the white blankness of his fury. The samurai and ninja alike watched as he walked away, no longer caring what they did to one another.

As one, the ninja and samurai quietly parted. The ninja gathered their dead and dying and were fast to disappear back into the woods from whence they came. Many of the villagers did likewise; only the samurai remained to watch their savior as he crept up to Taki.

He held her body as tightly to his as he dared. Even with his vision blinded by tears, he could clearly see her head lying to side. Her face was relaxed, eyes closed and her mouth slightly ajar. The sight of it brought fresh tears to his face.

His grief and rapid approaching exhaustion pulled him forcefully into a lonely unconsciousness.

* * *

**(A/N)**Before I go, I have one last request. For those of you who didn't, please review chapters eight to the current. I would very much like so feedback on them, _especially_ your opinions on what happened in Confessions. 


	13. Last Request

**(A/N) Well, here it is. Hopefully, you'll all find it in your hearts to understand what Ulrich will be talking about later. I poured my heart and soul into his words, I truly believe in them. Because it is happening right now in everyday life. See if you can guess, I won't be telling any answers.**

**Please enjoy, and think about what Ulrich has to say.**

**

* * *

**

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 13--Last Request_

The survivors of the bitter battle all gathered around the large woodpile. It was located on the edge of the cliff and facing the setting sun. Placed gently on to the pile were the bodies of their slain friends and family.

Despite his numerous injures, Ulrich attended and participated in the sad event. It was a very difficult job for him, to carry people he'd come to know to their final resting just tore at his heart and soul. It was especially painful when he placed the last person on it, Taki.

No one offered to help him; they knew that he'd never accept. Laying her gently down top of the mass of bodies, he momentarily ran his hand over her face. He didn't and probably would never know what he was trying to do; etch her facial features into his memory for all eternity?

Tears were falling from his eyes as he walked away from the pile. Taking his place beside Tadashi, Ulrich watched the mass. Master Riyo was chanting something in an ancient dialect that he could never have understood even if he wanted. The villagers all stood in a semicircle and as close as they could.

As Riyo's chanting came to an end, one of the villagers stepped forward with a burning torch. Laying it near the base of the dry wood, the fire didn't take long to catch and engulf the bodies. Ulrich watched Taki for as long as he could until her body was consumed and the flames distorted her image.

A gentle wind suddenly blew in around them as they all cried silent tears. The opaque white smoke swirled and spiraled around them on the breeze. As Ulrich was glaring down at his bandaged fists, he felt something.

Looking up and around, he tried to find the presence that had entered his mind. One glance at the others told him that no one else had noticed it. Then he felt the presence moving, he followed it away from the fire and toward the cliff edge.

Then, as he was gazing up at the setting sun, he saw it. In the dancing smoke that was drifting high into the sky were numerous shady figures all walking toward the sun. As they neared the blinding orb, they would turn back and smile at him. In the dying light, he could recognize their faces.

He watched as Takei faced him and gave a polite bow before vanishing. Nozomi followed a few seconds later with a knowing and confident grin. Maki gently brushed Nozomi aside and gave the first bow of respect toward Ulrich he'd ever seen him do. With each person that he could recognize, he felt a piece of himself feeling slightly stronger, somehow knowing that they'd forgiven him.

Ulrich watched as the last of the spirits vanished. It was then, the last one, that he saw her. He wasn't prepared to see her face, even though he'd been expecting it. Taki was smiling down on him. Lining her cheeks he could see dried tearstains as she gave a polite bow.

Then, as she faded into the light, she pointed west. He could see a single word on her lips as her face finally vanished forever from his earthly sight.

"_Go_," was the word.

* * *

He couldn't sleep. It wasn't because of the overpowering pain that his injures were giving him or because of his infinite emotions that were threatening to drown him. If either of those had been the reason, he felt that he'd have fallen asleep long ago in an attempt to escape them. No, that wasn't it. 

Throwing his blankets from his body, Ulrich climbed to feet. Pulling a shirt over his head and knotting his sash, he stalked out of his room. Walking aimlessly around the house, he relived once again what he could remember of his bitter battle upon the cliff edge.

As he remembered returning from his white oblivion of his mind and seeing Taki's body, he felt fresh tears rising. He had let her down. Taki could never take Yumi's place in his heart, he knew. But as he stood there before the main entrance peering unseeingly into the village, he wondered if it was possible to have two true loves in one life.

It just didn't seem fair that his couldn't be…

"_Can't sleep, Ulrich-san_?" asked a voice behind him.

"_Yes_," he said.

"_Yeah, me too_," Tadashi said as he walked up beside him.

Looking down at the boy who'd helped save his and the rest of the villagers' lives, he saw the boy's face downcast in the moonlight. It seemed almost ridiculous that this was the same hate-filled boy that had killed probably the best of the ninja's warriors.

"_You know_," Tadashi said as he returned his gaze to the village. "_My grandfather has declared you a full-fledged samurai of this village_." He glanced back down to Ulrich and saw that his expression hadn't changed. "_That is a great honor for one so young_."

Ulrich didn't seem to hear him. He just stared blankly ahead of him.

"_In accordance to our traditions_," Tadashi continued. "_You shall be presented with a specially constructed katana and be given but a single request from this village_." He had to glance down again to see if he'd heard him; he had. "_What is your request_?"

For the longest time, the two just stood there. Tadashi patiently waited for his answer as he considered. Just when he was about to restate the proposition, Ulrich quietly said, "_Was it really worth it_?"

"_What_?" Tadashi quietly asked. He hadn't expected that.

"_All the fighting_," Ulrich said. "_All the killing between this village and the ninjas; just because the ancestors of these two villages were too proud. Too proud to admit that maybe,_ just maybe_, they weren't the best warriors in all the lands_.

"_They started a war to prove their superiority over their rivals; a war that is still happening. But you no longer for fight pride…no you fight to avenge the deaths of lost loved ones—just like they do now_."

Tadashi listened with befuddled look on his face.

"_I know what will happen next_," he continued, his face was that of deep thought. It was clear he was saying what he truly thought of in his heart. "_The ninjas will strike back. They will strike fast and hard, and they will cause immense loss of life. The samurai of this village will find it in their sworn duty to train harder and lash back, trying to wash blood away with blood… It will only lead to yet another bloody war… a war in which neither side will or can win—ever_."

"_What would you have us do_?" Tadashi asked. Ulrich, cool-headed Ulrich with little to no obvious opinion on almost any issue, was talking to him like a god would to a foolish mortal. Giving indirect advice to help his people.

He was silent for a moment before continuing. "_Don't allow that first strike to happen. No, I would go over and talk to them…Your ancestors have tried to defeat the ninja for nearly four hundred years, and they have never succeeded… Why not try something different_?

"_It is all a question of karma_," Ulrich finished. "_What goes around…comes around_."

Turning to face Tadashi, Ulrich looked up at him. Ever since his fight with Kurowana, Ulrich had been in an almost trancelike state. He couldn't eat, barely sleep, and rarely spoke. Now, as he looked up at his sparring partner, he felt that trance fast approaching. Before it could consume him, he spoke quietly, "_I don't wanna get involved again, I wanna go home. That is my request_."

"_Very well_," Tadashi said quietly. He had expected such an answer from Ulrich. Though as much as he wanted Ulrich to stay and continue his training with him, Tadashi would honor the request. That was the samurai's way.

Ulrich, so lost in thought, didn't notice Tadashi's hand descending toward his neck. In one blow, Tadashi knocked the already exhausted young samurai unconscious.


	14. I'm Not Him

**The Soul of a Warrior**

By: Tellemicus Sundance

_Chapter 14--I'm Not Him_

The sun had reached its zenith by the time that Odd had finished. None of them could speak; there was nothing to say. Odd just glanced sadly down at the pile of wrappers that had accumulated during his story telling. Even with all that chocolate in his stomach, he was very hungry.

Aelita sat with a sad expression on her face. She loved life. And while she knew of hundreds of examples in human history that men killed men for pleasure, she never thought that one of her friends would be a victim or witness.

Yumi and Jeremy just watched their friend thoughtfully. He had his back to them during the entire tale. With a slumped figure, he looked blissfully out at the park. The shade of the fern patch they sat in was quite comfortable in the moist heat of early summer.

But what caught Yumi's attention on her best friend was the band of black cloth that was bound tightly around his forehead. She finally understood why Ulrich still wore it, even long after he no longer needed it. He wore it to remember his friend Taki.

At the thought of what the girl had done to Ulrich brought a ping of jealousy from her. Taki had been Ulrich's first kiss! Despite how much Yumi may have respected the mystery girl for saving her best friend, she couldn't help but to resent her slightly for that.

_But Ulrich wasn't your first kiss either,_ whispered a voice inside her. _How do you think he felt when he saw you do it with Theo? Besides you did it on purpose! So you're even_.

"Did that fight really happen like Odd said, Ulrich?" Jeremy asked. Being a genius of physics, it didn't seem logical that people could move at the speeds that Odd had clearly implied.

Ulrich, after a moment, raised a hand to his face, brushing aside a stray tear. Turning back to his friends, he looked at each one of them. It had been painful for him to tell that tale to Odd, but to have to repeat it yet again was just devastating.

Standing abruptly, Ulrich motioned for them to follow him. Without looking back, he heard them climb to their feet and quickly follow him. Leading the way, he marched himself to the lake. The walk to it was quiet for them, each with their own thoughts.

Kneeling down to water's surface, Ulrich lowered his hands into it. The cool water felt quite nice in the warm summer sunlight. Then, absentmindedly, he began scrubbing his hands, trying to remove the concealor he had on his hand.

Watching his back, Jeremy thought back on his story. As he was reviewing it, something clicked in his mind. It was surprising, but it made perfect sense all of a sudden.

"Now I get it," Jeremy said. They all glanced at him curiously. "There was a time not even a few days before you came back that we had to reverse time."

The memory suddenly blossomed in their minds. Yumi smiled and glanced down at Ulrich. "That's right," she said. "We had no idea what Xana was doing because nothing was wrong…_here_."

"Looks like it was a good thing we listened to you, Aelita," Odd said.

Aelita blushed slightly. She had strongly insisted that they reverse time, even if nothing seemed to be wrong; Xana could not be trusted to act without a purpose.

Rising slowly, Ulrich turned towards his friends. They returned their attentions to him as he raised a clenched fist.

"To answer your question, Jeremy," he said as he opened his fist and rotated his palm upward. "This should be proof enough."

There, contrasting badly with the tanned flesh of his hand, was a long white line. It ran from the corner of his palm to between his thumb and index finger: a battle scar from his mindless assault on the ninjas.

* * *

The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on their bare shoulders as the two boys fought. Wearing only their pants and sandals, Ulrich and Odd clashed violently against each other. Backing away panting from his opponent, the blonde-purple haired boy panted hard. Ulrich merely crossed his arms as a small smile spread his face. 

Off on the sidelines, their other friends watched the training session. It was clear that Ulrich wasn't even trying, which could've been a good thing. Odd, drenched in sweat, was slouched over as he tried to maintain standing.

"I don't feel…so good," Odd complained as he gently rubbed his convulsing stomach. He was leaning heavily on his bo, barely able to remain standing.

"You don't look too good either," Yumi commented.

Ulrich watched his pupil. Odd wasn't very fast, but seemed to possess surprising skills with the bo that he carried. But he couldn't take the fight serious, like it was all a joke to him. That thought brought a smile to his face; it was so like Odd to think it was all a game.

Glancing up at the cloudless sky, Ulrich sighed. This couldn't even have been considered a _warm-up_ for him, but it was clear that Odd couldn't stand too much longer. Looking back at him, Ulrich cast his own bo aside as he said, "That's enough for now."

Odd was panting too heavily to reply. He just watched as Ulrich turned his back to walk back to the girls. Nodding his head toward the roof, he dropped to his knees. The roof of the factory was very hot under him and he could see the heat waves dancing around him and burning through his pants. He felt truly exhausted, far more than he'd ever felt in his life.

Then thoughts of what Ulrich had been through came creeping through his mind. Odd could barely imagine the gruesome circumstances his friend must've been through during _his_ training. He had to train from dawn to dusk with an opponent who didn't care if he was injured or not.

_He's going easy on me_, he quickly realized. _No!_ Though he could understand why Ulrich didn't want to hurt him, Odd was determined to become as good a fighter as him. That was why he asked him to train him.

Pushing himself forcefully to his feet, Odd willed his unsteady legs to carry him forward. As he rushed Ulrich's back, he let out a shout, bringing his bo up to attack. Ulrich merely glanced behind him in a slightly surprised manner before he moved. Catching the descending staff, Ulrich used Odd's momentum to pull him into a swing.

Whirling around on his heels, Ulrich grinned at Odd's shocked expression. Looking down to the ground, Odd, in his opinion, saw it passing much too fast underneath him.

"Whoa, whoa!" he stammered. Ulrich seemed to spin faster with each revolution and he was finding it harder to hang on to his bo. "_Major spin cycle—WHOA!_"

Yumi fell back laughing at Odd as he was whirled around. Jeremy and Aelita wore smiles on their faces as well, even though Aelita was concerned for her friend. If Ulrich built up enough momentum, he could send his friend flying off the edge of the roof.

But Odd wasn't done yelling yet. "_Maybe I shouldn't have had that last candybar_—" Then Ulrich released him.

Flying almost twenty feet away, Odd landed on his back and went careening out of control for almost another five paces, head over heels the entire way. Coming to rest near the others, Odd rolled over on to his hands and knees, trying to shake the dizziness from him.

Standing up on disoriented legs, he wobbled several paces forward in a circular motion. "Now I know what a postal package feels like," he groaned.

He ignored the bouts of laughter behind him as he dropped ungracefully onto his buttocks. Yumi's uncontrollable laughter and Aelita's quiet giggles, however, were leaving a ringing sensation in his ears as he noticed Ulrich approaching him.

Nodding respectfully to him, Ulrich said, "Not bad for your first time. But you shouldn't push yourself so hard; fight to find your limits right now. Then we'll work on increasing them."

Smiling, Odd returned his nod as he lay down on the roof, enjoying a light breeze. As he lay there thinking, an abrupt memory flashed through his mind. Looking over at Ulrich who now stood next to Yumi, he said, "Ulrich, are you that warrior of legend guy?"

Stiffening visibly, his friend's face dropped slightly as his four friends watched him. Then, abruptly, he lifted his head with a full joyous smile. He shook his head heartily.

"I don't see how I can be," he said happily. "I'm no great fighter, and I'm not obsessed with the samurai code of honor."

"But… what about never losing a fight?" Yumi asked. "Ever since you've come back, you haven't lost a single one yet."

"That doesn't mean anything," he reasoned, shaking his head. "I'm no more a hero than any of you. I'm just…me."

With a small grin, Aelita said, "And that's just how I like you, too."

All of them smiled as a small blush lit up the pink-haired girl's face.

* * *

The stars gleamed down on them the couple from their position. Ulrich sat with Yumi in the park at the lakeshore. She was resting her head on his shoulder as he watched the stars' reflections on the lake surface. Neither spoke, enjoying the peace and comfort from the other's presence. 

They were content with the cool night air and warm breeze. It felt so nice to have their dearest friend so close them. The built-up muscle in Ulrich's shoulder proved to be quite comfortable to Yumi and, at that thought, she smiled.

With his arm draped around her waist, Ulrich watched her face from the corner of his eye. He loved the various shadings that the stars, moon, and city cast down on her features. If only she had a halo, she'd be the angel of his dreams.

"You know," he said quietly, breaking their silence. "There is something that I've been wanting to ask you, Yumi."

She glanced up at him as she answered, "What?"

"Would you like to dance?" he couldn't help but to blush, despite his trying to restrain it.

"Now?" she asked, surprised. "What brought this on?"

His blush deepened as he laughed nervously for a moment. Sighing, he looked her in the eye as he answered. "I never got last year."

Yumi smiled and stood, pulling him up with her. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she grasped his hand with her other. Then, as he draped his hand hesitantly around her waist and back, they started dancing to a silent music that only they could hear.

_THE END

* * *

_

**(A/N)Unless **there are any remaining** questions **about this story after this chapter, this will most likely be the** final **chapterI know many of you don't want me to end it:** I don't want to end it! **Don't worry! I already have _plans_ for a** new story.** However, I can't put any date on when it will be posted (or even** if **it'll be posted).

I have to stop here because the** next few months **are going to be** very chaotic **for me. I'd be** very surprised **if I ever get to post again between now and** November**! So just let me say before I go, I'm **beyond overjoyed** that you all have read my stories and seemed to enjoy them.


	15. Special Thanks to All

**A girl who is oppressed**—Thanks for the compliments. I truly do hope to write my very own novel in the near future. But life can be vicious to a person sometimes. I hope you've read my first story, The Weak Link. If you haven't, I highly suggest you do ASAP! Many of the people who have already loved it.

**Americanbaka**—Haha! Interesting pen name, but I hope for your sake you know what it means. I'm glad that you enjoyed The Soul of a Warrior and The Weak Link. It's kind of a shame that you didn't post more reviews. Oh well, as I said before, I'm happy you liked my stories.

**Angie Bower—**Don't worry. I do plan on at least more story. But for the reasons I've listed in my new profile, I can't write them. I'm happy that you enjoyed my story.

**Aya sister of Ayra—**Perhaps Tadashi knocking Ulrich out was a bit harsh, wasn't it? Yeah, that final review that you left was really funny! I've never got a review like that before, and I loved it!

**CTony—**I don't think you've read what category I'm under. This is Code: Lyoko, not Dragon Ball Z I'm afraid. But even so, I did take your advice. I did gradually increase the action so I think even you would appreciate it!

**dantheman7777—**To answer your last question (of whether the samurai would've let Ulrich die) I think that the answer would have to be no. After all, Master Riyo was convinced that Ulrich was Warrior of Legend. So, if I hadn't let time be reversed, you can be assured that Ulrich would've been slowly nursed back to health shortly after losing consciousness. Thanks for your time and reviews. I just wish I had more time to read _your_ stories; they seem awfully interesting.

**Doggiegal—**Well, I do appreciate the review. I just wish that you could've reviewed more often than you did. Oh well. Perhaps we'll cross paths again one day.

**Kree the Wolf—**I don't remember if I ever actually said this, but congratulations on winning that mini-contest. I was hoping that there'd be more entries, but that obviously wasn't so. Nevertheless, good job. I had considered just making the story go in the direction of your guesses but it wouldn't have flowed to smoothly then. Thanks for reviewing both my stories.

**Lale the assassin**—Wow. I've never seen a pen name like yours before. I liked your review and am saddened that you haven't post more.

**Mewberries—**Interesting pen name. About that point that you brought up, you are absolutely correct! What happened in Sweet and Sour was what I was actually planning on writing for this story. But with how I was developing Tadashi/Taki/Ulrich's relationship to one another, it would've seemed out of place with the story. So, you can think of what he'd dreamt in 'Sweet and Sour' as a nightmare.

**Nikana Olos—**It has been fun to read your reviews. I kind of wish though that you would've laid off those threats if you weren't going to do them! Either way, I'm happy that you liked my stories. Hope to post again soon. Plus, I hope that you got my address!

**Renayumi—**I'm happy that you liked my stories, renayumi. I wasn't sure how well they were going to come out, with my continuous swings in interests. I'm surprised that I even completed The Weak Link! Thanks for reviewing; I loved each and every one of yours.

**Star Way**—Long time, no see. I wish that you could've kept posting reviews, but all well. I'm happy that you finished Of Acid Tears. That is an incredible story. I highly suggest that you try to publish a slightly altered version of it. I bet it'd rank number one on many best-selling lists if you did! Hope that post many more wondrous stories like it. Trillinka—I can't possibly express my gratitude that you'd take the time off of writing Behind Closed Hearts to read my stories. I am very happy that you have done this favor for me. I have been trying to leave regular posts for your story(s) but I don't know how much longer I can do that. See my new profile for details on why. 

**Wind rider—**Hey! I remember you! You were one of my regular reviewers from TWL. I'm kind of saddened that you haven't been able to review as often as you used to. I hope you make your own account on Fan Fiction; that is a cool pen name!

**Yuri Nishidera**—Thank you for reading my story. I'm quite happy that you liked my stories. I swear on my reputation as an author that I _will_ post at least _one more story_ on this site. But I have no idea when it will be posted on here. I truly hope that I have a better summer than I did last year. See my new profile for the reason why last summer sucked for me, and this one will probably also stink. 

**For those of you who are curious why I can't post anything new for several months, please read my new profile!**


End file.
